Beaned: A What If Story
by PrettyFlyingPrincess
Summary: This is a "what if" scenario for the season 5 episode, "Beaned". What if Helga had lost her memory for more than half a day? What could've happened? Read to find out. Helga X Arnold heavy. Love this ship!
1. Memory Erased

**(A/N) Hello, everyone! This is my first Hey Arnold fanfic and I love the Arnold and Helga ship and this fanfic is based off of the season 5 episode, Beaned where Helga loses her memory. It's one of my favourite episodes and I always wondered what could happen if Helga actually did lose her memory for more than half a day. So I decided I'd try to write about it. Enjoy!**

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It was Recess at _P.S. 118_. Helga G. Pataki was getting more and more agitated as the day went on. The whole day had been the worst so far.

 **Helga's P.O.V.**

Could this day get any worse? First, I had to make my own lunch, **AGAIN!** But then again that was every day. Second, when the bus arrived at school it started to rain and as everyone was getting off, Rhonda, yet again, had to find something to complain about. Something about not wanting to get her stupid outfit wet and Arnold being the little perfect angel he was had offered to share his umbrella with her when I so desperately wanted the offer like he did all those years ago in preschool. But no! I was left with my freakin' books as my cover from the pouring rain but I guess I can't even have _that_. _Nope!_ As soon as I got off the bus it sped away over a puddle making it splash all over me getting me soaked! Third, at lunch as everyone was entering the cafeteria, Arnold was holding the door for Sid and Stinky. I was clearly up next for the door but Arnold couldn't possibly wait for me or I guess, giving him the benefit of the doubt I suppose, he didn't see me. So I ended up ramming into the cafeteria door temporarily hurting my nose.

Now I'm dragging a bag full of basketballs, baseballs and baseball bats! I mean it is my duty today and Harold is doing it too but it's exhausting! Harold is a bit ahead of me. But only because he grabbed one first! These bags are murder to carry so it's not like I'm a weakling!

Once Harold made it to the open door ( _thank god_ ) to the playground. I see Arnold walk up to him and offer to help him carry his bag. Wow, what a saint. Harold would have to have been more of a moron than he already was if he declined so he accepts the help.

 _I_ on the other hand have no such luck, as usual, so my arms give in and I let the stupid bag fall to the ground and of course it lands on my foot! I mean criminy! Can't I catch a break for once in my life!?

I try to keep my balance bouncing up and down as I hold my oozing foot with both my hands in pain. I look over at Arnold and to no surprise I find myself start to talk to myself. Ranting about Arnold like I always do. I went on and on, being at war with myself about how I hate him but also adore him!

I pick up a flower and start plucking the petals one by one, playing 'He Loves Me. He Loves Me Not' in my mind. I don't pluck the last petal because it was a 'he loves me not petal' Why doesn't that surprise me?

"If only he would throw a little charity my way for a change. If only he paid a little attention to me for once in his ultra truistic life. If only-" ' **BANG!** ' I felt something hard bounce off my skull. My world went dark and I was gone.

* * *

 **Normal P.O.V.**

All the near by kids in the playground circled around Helga's knocked out body on the ground. Arnold ran to Helga's side. His eyes filled with concern.

Arnold face palmed ' _And just when I thought my dangerous baseball antics where finally gone!_ ' he said in his mind when he thought back to the time he was a danger to his teammates in baseball.

Suddenly he saw Helga's eyes slowly start to open and Arnold's worry-meter in his mind start to simmer down a bit. "Helga! Helga, can you hear me?" he yelled to get her attention. Then Helga finally spoke.

"Who's Helga?" she asked while still laying down still in a daze. All the kids around gasped at her question.

Arnold went wide eyed. ' _Oh no_ ' He really hoped what was happening to Helga wasn't what he was speculating did in his intuition so he played along and answered her question. " _You're_ Helga."

Helga started to rise. "Helga? That's such a nice name. I wish it was mine." she said clasping her hands together dreamily.

"It's like Helga turned into some kinda simpleton or somethin'" Stinky said.

"It's like she got dumber too!" Harold chimed in.

Arnold put his hand on Helga's shoulder. "I think she might have amnesia." he told them all.

"Amnesia!? That's horrible! ... What's amnesia?" Sid asked.

"It's when you lose your memory. You know, temporally."

" _Or_ for the rest of your life" Gerald added. Arnold shivered at that thought. He couldn't have that on his conscience otherwise it would probably haunt him for life. This whole thing made him feel terrible. Sure, Helga was a bully to him most of the time but _nobody_ deserved this.

"Anyway, I better take her home." He told everyone. He helped the confused girl up and they went to the principal's office to let him know what happened and to let them go home early.

* * *

As they walked down the street towards Helga's house Arnold stayed close beside her as to keep her out of trouble. He looked up at her and she was looking around aimlessly.

"Look, Helga. I know this whole thing must be scary for you, but I don't want you to worry cause' I'm gonna take care of you until you feel better." It was the least he could do. Of course he didn't mean for this to happen but it was his fault and he felt that he owed it to her. She was his... _kinda_ friend after all. "Though I'm sure you'd feel better once you get home." he finished.

Helga looked at him in confusion. "Home? What is home?"

Arnold stared at her for a split second. Wow, he really did a number on her. At this point Arnold was just glad she could still remember how to talk at least. If that weren't the case he'd feel even worse. "...Home is... where you live." He looked away from her. "You know... your house." as soon as he looked back to her he saw her in the middle of the street! He shouldn't have looked away. "Helga!" he went after her, grabbed her hand and pulled her with him towards the sidewalk to safety. "Helga, you can't walk in the street. You have to stay on the sidewalk." He let go of her hand.

Then Helga, gently with both her arms wrapped them around Arnold arm. What surprised Arnold was the "gentle" part. He was so used to Helga being aggressive towards him.

"It's just so nice of you to walk me home, little boy. What is home?" she asked again.

' _Ugh... this is gonna be a long night_ ' Arnold thought to himself.

* * *

Soon they arrived inside Helga's house. Her hand in his so that she couldn't get into anymore trouble.

"Hello?! is anybody here?!" He yelled in the house. No one seemed to be around. He sat her down at the table. "Why don't I make you some hot soup. I think it might help." he offered. Helga just smiled at him. He rarely saw smiles from her which made him smile back. He took her smile as a 'yes' to the soup.

When the soup was done he put it on front of her and handed her a spoon.

"Spoon!" Helga said when it was handed to her.

Arnold brightened up at that. "That's right! It is a spoon!" he was relived she was remembering _something_. ' _Maybe the process won't take so long after all._ ' He thought. Then Helga stuck it in her ear. ' _Spoke too soon_ '. he sighed as he took the spoon from her. He guessed he was gonna have to feed her as well.

* * *

After she ate it started to get dark out. He wondered why Helga's mom wasn't home. He decided to take her to bed. Maybe it would help her remember some things if she went to bed early and cleared her mind. He took her hand and guided her to her room. Once they where there he helped her into her bed and he grabbed Helga's geography text book. He fluffed her pillow.

"You just sit there and relax." Arnold told her. He sat across from her on the bed and opened the text book. "I'll read you your geography chapter."

"I think _I'd_ like to read." Helga said as she reached for the book.

Arnold knew that was probably a pointless idea but he wanted to be nice. "Okay... It's chapter 4." he handed her the book hesitantly. She took it and held it upside down. She pointed at something and laughed. Arnold took back the book not wanting to waste time. "How about I read it to you, okay?" He didn't wait for an answer. She didn't look like she cared that much about not being able to read it anyway. Arnold started reading. "Chapter 4. The new England states. The 6 states which make up New England are: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts -" Arnold was interrupted by Helga's snoring. Arnold closed the book, tucked her in and turned off the light. He looked at Helga's sleeping form for a second and thought she looked lonely so he slipped a doll that was on Helga's windowsill beside her in bed and left the room.

He slowly and silently closed her door and headed downstairs. He looked up at the clock on the wall. It read 8:00. ' _I've been here that long?_ ' he asked himself. He looked around the house to see if one of her parents were home yet. It didn't seem like it. Where could they be? He crossed his arms and sighed. He decided to wait up for one of them to come home. It was gonna go past his curfew but he couldn't leave Helga alone so, so be it. He felt so bad. He hoped that she'd be back to normal by the next day so that he wouldn't have to worry about her anymore.

An hour later Helga's mom finally came home.

She was of course surprised to see him there. He told her what happened though as he was telling her the story there were times when he was telling it that she looked like she wasn't fully listening at times. She seemed a bit off but then again he seemed to remember that she was always like that but she seemed to get the gist of it he believed.

After he told her everything he went home. He hoped he wouldn't get into too much trouble with his grandparents for being late.

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 **(A/N) Alright, so as you can see the first chapter is really just the beginning of the episode but I promise that next chapter will have originality to it. I'll try my best to make it interesting so I would love it if you stuck around.**

 **Love you all!**


	2. Helga's Morning

**(A/N) Wow I'm already getting reviews that are positive after just one chapter? Aww, you guys! Thanks for the support. It means a lot. I'm also glad that some liked how I added people's thoughts during the beginning of the episode which really hard to stay in character. Hope it worked. For those who fave the story already or are coming back for more to check if it continues, you're awesome. I write when I have ideas which I do right now so it's all good. But If there are long periods of time where I don't write a chapter is because I got busy because of real life reasons or I have writers block. Hopefully neither one of those well happen.**

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It was finally morning. Helga opened her eyes from her sleep. She sat up and looked around. The room looked familiar she did remember what happened yesterday but she could only remember up until when she was all the playground with all the kids around her. She looked beside her to find a doll. She held it to her feeling a little less scared than she felt before. The boy that helped her get home didn't seem to be around which made her feel a bit upset. He had been so nice to her. If only she could remember his name.

Suddenly a woman came bursting into the room, which made Helga jump a bit.

" **GOOD MORNING, DEAR! HOW ARE YOU FEELING?!** " The woman asked very loudly.

Helga just stared at her for a second. "Well... I'm feeling a little weird but I'm not hurt that much... Who are you?" she asked.

"Oh dear..." the woman said under her breath. "Um... **I'M YOUR MOM, HONEY!** "

"Oh! So you're my mom. Okay, sorry, I forgot." Helga said. "Oh, and you don't have to yell, mom. I can hear you fine." Miriam smiled at her. She barely ever called her 'mom'. I was a nice change of pace even though her daughter couldn't remember anything. "Well that's good that you're feeling alright. Do you have a bump where that baseball hit your head? Apparently you caught amnesia yesterday... seems like you still have it."

Helga touched her head where she felt a bit of pain and she really felt it when her finger tips made contact. She flinched. A bump was there alright but it wasn't noticeable. Miriam continued. "Anyway, thanks to that nice little blonde boy from your class..." Helga perked up at the mention of the boy. "Now what was his name? Arthur? Archie? Arlo?" Helga then slouched. She was really hoping that her own mom would remember for her. "Well it did start with an 'A' that's for sure. Anyway, that boy walked you home and made you a little snack and helped you with your homework..." Helga started to blush hearing all the things he did for her being listed by her mom. Miriam went on gushing about how sweet the boy was. "... Oh and he even tucked you in when you fell asleep and then he waited downstairs till I got home."

"Wow... he _did_ do all that didn't he..." Helga said timidly with a smile. She had no idea why she was feeling queasy in a good way inside after hearing all that but he did.

"Well now. I guess since you still have amnesia I should probably take you to the hospital in a little bit and ask a doctor how long it will be until your memory comes back. The boy suggested I do that if that were the case but it will be a little while till we go because your sister is driving you. Your sister got worried sick after I told her what happened when she called last night to update me about her trip. We could just walk there but she insisted she take you to the hospital saying she couldn't allow you to walk with you probably being so frail. But you seem fine to me. However I just can't say no to her." Miriam started walking to the door while Helga's eyes were wide hearing all this information all at once. "She's coming from her trip in Japan. I tell you that girl is going places! She's so great. Your father won't drive you because of work and... well the reason I can't is the reason I came home so late last night. I'm not allowed to drive right now." Helga arched her eyebrow at that last tidbit. "Well you just get some sleep while we wait for your sister to get home. She started packing her bags right when I told her so she'll probably get here in a few. Just get some sleep until then, Hon." and with that she closed the door.

Helga was then left in the silence of the room. That was a lot to process for her. She didn't even remember she even had a sister and father and her mom said all that so casually like she'd understand. That fact alone made her agitated. Now that she had some time to rest she felt a little bit better and less dazed. She slipped out of bed not being tired enough to go back to sleep. She figured she look around the room for a bit.

Apparently this was her room but she didn't recognize any of the items in it that belonged to her. Her first thought would be to check the other door in the room. She opened it and she gasped at what she saw. She saw a giant watermelon with 6 bananas sticking out behind it. There were papers on the walls with words written all over them but she couldn't remember how to read. There were many books and other things scattered on the floor as well. She looked at the giant watermelon again a little longer this time. The longer she looked at it the more it started to remind her of someone but she couldn't pin point on who.

She put her hand to her chest and there she felt something there. She dug down her dress a bit and felt something small but had some weight to it from the material. She pulled it out from under her dress. She looked at it and it was a gold thingy **(A/N: Let's just say she doesn't remember what a locket is or what a heart shape is)** with a picture of the boy who helped her out last night on it. She felt her heart start to flutter while looking at him but she couldn't get why.

She looked back to the giant watermelon, turned her head a tad then she looked at the picture again, then at the watermelon again, then at the picture AGAIN! She thought to herself. ' _wait a min-_ '

Then without warning she jumped when she heard her mom call her. " **HELGA! YOUR SISTER IS HERE!** ". She put the locket back where it was and headed down the stairs slowly and carefully still a little cautious about the stairs since the boy helped her up them last time she was on them.

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 **(A/N) Alright how's that for originality for a first chapter? I know it's not very good and I might have made a bullshit excuse for why she asks less questions and seems to be more aware within just a night. It's not my intention to rush things it's just still kinda hard to keep up Helga's ignorance about some certain things but I tried. I hope you guys stay with me despite my messy story telling.**


	3. Sisterhood

**(A/N) My second chapter didn't seem as popular as the first but I'm really trying with my originality here, I swear! I'm just a bit of a rookie at it. Anyway here's chapter 2. Enjoy!**

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" **OH MY GOODNESS! I CAME AS SOON AS I HEARD!** " yelled Helga's sister, Olga when she spotted Helga as she came to the bottom of the stairs. She quickly ran to Helga and hugged her. "Oh I was so worried, sister!"

Helga stiffened at the sudden hug since she didn't exactly remember this woman. "You're my sister?"

Olga looked at her looking a little hurt but she understood knowing her condition. "Yes, I'm your big sister. But no time for that. We must get you to the hospital now!" she grabbed Helga's hand "Come, mommy!

"I'm comin', I'm comin." Miriam assured her as she followed behind the two girls.

* * *

Once the three reached the hospital and were out of the waiting room the doctors were running many tests on Helga.

After a few hours of waiting, Miriam had fallen asleep while Olga was pacing back and forth nervously mumbling to herself. Olga then instantly noticed when Helga's doctor came up to them.

Olga ran up to him demanding an update on how Helga was doing. "Doctor! Oh please tell me that my sister is okay!"

The doctor raised his hands in front of him signalling her to calm down. "You can stop worrying, your sister is fine. She only has temporary memory loss. Very common after a blow to the head. She should be back to normal after a few days."

"Oh thank goodness!" Olga finally let out a breath she didn't realize she was even holding. "Does that mean she can leave soon?"

"Any minute now." he said with a smile. "Though she has been quite touchy with the equipment. Might want to keep an eye on her at least for today but I'm sure she won't completely be like that for all the of the days she has memory loss if you re-teach her how to do everyday things like read and eat for example." the doctor thought for a moment. "Speaking of which has she eaten at all today? Her stomach has been rubbling like crazy."

"Oh, I'm not sure. I just came home from a trip right before we brought her here. I thought mommy would've made her something since Helga can't make something herself right now." Olga looked back at her sleeping mother with a worried look. Then she looked back to the doctor. "Well, I'll be sure the get her something when we leave. Oh, I'm so happy my dear sister is okay!"

"Oh, and one more thing before I send her out. When she gets her memory back please don't shock or contradict her by telling her any major things that might happen during these next few days. If she's confronted it could be traumatic and there's no predicting on how she'll react to certain things. I say this because when she's back to normal it'll be like the next few days never happened."

Olga looked at the doctor with a concerned look on her face. A lot could happen within a few days and they didn't know the exact day when her memory would be back. But if it was for her sister's sanity then she'd agree to it. "Alright."

"Good. I'll send her out now." he told her as he was leaving to go get her.

* * *

When the three of them were in the car on the way home after they hit a McDonalds **(A/N or this universe's equivalent of McDonald's)** for burgers so that Helga had something to eat as quickly as possible, Olga was driving and was thinking of what she could do to help her sister with first but she was thinking that re-teaching her how to read first would probably be the best idea. There's no way that she'd be able to teach her how to read every word in one night but she'd see how far she could get her. Olga just wished that she could stay in Hillwood a little while longer to help her sister out but she wasn't in Japan just to have fun. She was also there being a student teacher. Ever since being in Alaska she did in enjoy being a student teacher there but it was a nuisance with it being so darn cold. She decided to take a trip over to Japan and be a student teacher there for a semester because well for one thing it's was warmer and she'd get to see the most wonderful sights. However she still had a job and home in Alaska. She had made friends there. She even had a boyfriend there so she did plan on returning.

They returned to the house finally. Once they were inside Olga grabbed Helga's hand and ran upstairs to her room. When they were in Olga's room Helga looked around the room. This room looked a lot more extravagant than her own.

Olga grabbed one of the books on her fireplace shelf. "Alright, Helga. I'm thinking that the first thing we should do is learn how to read so when you go back to school tomorrow you won't be too confused, okay?"

Helga nodded with a smile. She was actually pretty excited. She had been wanting to read the book that the boy from last night had been trying to read to her last night. She kinda wanted to impress him with how much she learned tomorrow at school.

* * *

After hours of reading Olga was honestly relieved that Helga seemed to be subconsciously knowing some words that when she looked at a word it came to her easily but Helga did have to actually be taught some again.

Olga closed the book that they finished reading and stretched. "Isn't it such fun to read, sister? I just love it."

Helga nodded "Yeah. I had fun."

Olga thought for a moment. "Oh, this might be a fun idea for you. How about we read some of your books, hmm? You must have some books in your room because it's like my boyfriend always says: ' _I room without books is like a body without a soul_ '. He's a real book worm you know." Olga sighed. "So want to?"

"Okay. I think I saw some today in that small room in my room."

"You mean your closet?" Olga corrected.

"Is that what that is? Anyway yeah, let's do it."

* * *

Once Olga and Helga got to Helga's room Helga ran to the closet and quickly grabbed the first book she saw. She really wanted to read what was in her own books. The book she grabbed was a small pink one. She got on her bed with Olga and opened it to the first page and started to read it out loud to the best of her current ability.

"' _Cow-licks, like fields of yellow corn, All the days of my week, I write the name I... dare not... speak. The boy with the... cornflllllowwww-er hair, My be... be..._ ' um... what's this word?" Helga asked with a innocent embarrassed giggle.

Olga looked at the word. "' _Beloved_ '"

"Oh, okay." she continued "' _My beloved, and my... de... spair_ '?"

Olga looked at the last word to confirm if Helga was reading it right. She then clapped her hands. "Very good, Helga. That _is_ the word 'despair'" Then Olga thought for a second. "You read poetry? It didn't know that." Then she looked at the front of the book. "Wait a minute... can I see that book for a second?" Helga handed it to her. Olga looked at the front and saw no author name or any information about the book on the back. That could only mean one thing. "Helga... You wright poetry?" Olga questioned.

"I do?" Helga wondered.

"You must because this book doesn't have an author. In fact... this looks like your handwriting." Olga continued to flip through it and skim some of the pages. She came to a particular one that read:

 _Arnold, you idiot,_

 _I've always sworn it_

 _I've always loved you_

 _My darling, my darling._

 _Kiss me, my darling,_

 _Oh, orzo shaped Prometheus,_

 _Wandering the dismal deserts of my tormented soul._

Olga's eyes widened at the words she just read. That was romantic but it didn't sound at all what she believed Helga's mindset to be like. Was this a personal book? Should she even be reading this? Was this 'Arnold' a boy in her class? Did her sister have a crush? Suddenly Olga came to a realization that... she didn't really know anything about her sister. She was reading a hidden talent that her sister had. Olga then thought that maybe this incident could be a blessing in disguise for bonding time with Helga.

"Say, Helga?" Olga started. "That boy that helped you out yesterday. What did he look like?" Miriam had told Olga about how a boy helped Helga out when she first got her amnesia. She thought there was probably a _slight_ chance that he was this 'Arnold' character. If the boy was that nice he then why wouldn't a girl fall for a guy like that?

"Well... he was short, he wore a baseball hat, He had yellow hair and had a head that was shaped like a football or something." Helga giggled a little at that.

Olga thought about the description. 'Yellow hair? That would fit the _cowlicks like fields of corn_ part and the _orzo shaped_ thing could possibly resemble a football in a way.' "Are you possibly, maybe excited to see him again at school?" Olga knew that if her sister did have feelings for this boy they would be gone at the moment but if her sister said that she was excited to see him again that was enough confirmation for her.

"Well, yeah. Kinda." Helga said.

It wasn't the answer Olga was hoping for being that she thought it would be more romantic sounding but she did notice a tint of a blush from her sister when she said that so she believed that she was right anyway. "Well be sure to thank him tomorrow." Then Olga remembered something. "Oh! I just remembered. I got you something when I was doing some shopping in Japan. When I saw it I thought that it would look adorable on you. Let me get it." Olga went into her suitcase and came back into the room with a white top with a blue ribbon on the collar and a pink skirt that had ruffles under it. "Isn't it super cute? and the skirt is pink and it will match the bow you're always wearing. I was hoping that you would wear it tomorrow for me?"

Helga didn't see the harm in that. She actually found it to look pretty. "Okay, sure."

"Oh yay! I'm so glad you like it, sister." she said as she twirled around with the skirt that made it twirl around gracefully as well. "I hope I'm not pushing my luck here but I was wondering if I could fix your hair and give you teensy makeover tomorrow before school. Nothing major just a bit of a clean up."

Helga agreed not really remembering what a makeover was but she trusted Olga enough considering all the help she had been.

"Oh, but there's one thing that's part of the makeover that can't wait until tomorrow." Olga went through one of her cosmetic bags and she pulled out tweezers. She turned to her sister with a face of guilt. "This may hurt but it will be worth it... I'm sorry in advance."

* * *

 **(A/N) Alright this one is so much longer than last chapter but it's done now. Hope you like long chapters. No, I'm no expert on how exactly amnesia works when one gets their memory back but I've heard rumours and when I chose this logic it really helps me try to make sense on how I'm gonna pull this story off so if I'm wrong just bare with me or just go with it.**

 **I hope you like what I've done with Olga here.**


	4. The Walk to School

**(A/N) Wow, I'm glad I got some more reviews. Because the more reviews I get the more motivated I get, so keep reviewing, my wonderful followers! ^^**

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The next morning, Olga had made sure to call Helga's school and tell the principal what Helga's doctor had told her on Helga's amnesia and to let the rest of the school know so that if she somehow gained back her memory at school no one would let anything major within the time she didn't have her memory slip in front of her.

Olga had also helped Helga get ready for school. Helga was wearing the outfit that Olga had gotten her, she had on a teeny bit of mascara, let her hair down but still had her iconic pink bow.

"Oh, sister! You look so beautiful! You can't even see the redness on your skin from the hair removal we did on last night. Good thing we got that done last night." Olga said as she clapped her hands.

Helga went in front of the mirror to look at herself. She didn't look completely different but there was definitely a change. Getting rid of the unibrow is what stood out the most in Helga's opinion. "Yeah, the redness _did_ go away." Helga touched where the extra hair used to be. She remembered it hurting like hell but the whole time through it all Olga kept on saying 'It'll be worth it, It'll be worth it!" and Helga hoped so.

* * *

Olga then packed Helga her lunch. Olga was planning on taking her to school but as soon as Helga and Olga came out of the house, Arnold showed up in front of their doorstep holding an umbrella.

At first Arnold just stared at Helga in shock. "Helga? Is that you?" He knew that it was her. It looked like her still but he felt the need to confirm it just to make sure.

Helga smiled. "Oh! It's you, little boy! Yes, it is me. Do I look different?"

"Yeah... you do. You look really pretty."

"Well, thanks... um... what's your name again?" Helga asked.

"It's Arnold."

Olga's eyebrows raised at this. This _must've_ been _the_ Arnold that was in Helga's poetry book. Olga noticed how Arnold hadn't looked away from Helga since he arrived.

Not a second after Olga noticed this Arnold realized that he had been caught staring and quickly glanced away with a slight blush, scolding himself in his mind for being rude. " _So_... I heard that you went to the hospital yesterday so I guess that obviously means you still haven't gotten your memory back. I'm really sorry I hit you in the head with a baseball yesterday so I came here to walk you to school but it seems like your sister is going to do that."

At this, Olga quickly stepped in. "What? Well, yes I was going to but I... uh... just realized I don't really have the time to because I have to catch a plane back to Japan pretty soon so I better get ready to leave now." Which wasn't true. She did have time to take Helga to school in fact it'd be a faster way to school with her driving her there and she had enough time to catch her plane but now that Olga knew Helga had a crush on this boy she didn't want to ruin this. She thought they were too cute. She went and hugged Helga. "I will miss you, Helga. It was so nice to spend time with you and help you out. I'm sure you'll have your memory back when we see each other again. Goodbye!" Olga then ran into the house and closed the door behind her. Then she went to the window to watch the rest of the show through the blinds.

Arnold and Helga stood in silence staring at the door. He then looked to Helga and chuckled "Alright then."

Then it started to rain. They both looked up.

"Look, Arnold. The sky is making water." Helga said while pointing at the sky.

"It's just rain." Arnold told her as he opened his umbrella. "You can share my umbrella with me." He smiled at Helga as he linked arms with her.

Helga smiled back at him but to Helga this felt familiar in a way. Helga stopped walking for a minute which pulled Arnold back too being that their arms were still linked. Then Helga started to hear something in her mind ' _I like your bow because it's pink like your pants_.' then it stopped. Helga put her free hand to her head.

"Are you alright, Helga?" Arnold asked. His voice filled with worry.

"I... I think so. I just thought I heard something. But it's gone now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Let's keep going."

"...Alright." Arnold decided not to ask further questions. He didn't want to overwhelm her so they kept walking.

* * *

Once they finally reached the school building it had stopped raining.

Arnold looked up at the sky, the sun's rays shining upon them. "Looks like the sun's coming out."

Helga looked around and noticed the flowers growing from the school garden. She knelt down in front of them. "And look, there are little suns coming out of the ground, Arnold."

"Those are flowers." He knelt down with her. "Colourful plants that smell good. Here." he pulled one out of the ground and placed it in her hair.

Helga smiled at him but then started to hear more familiar sentences said in her head.

 _'Wow, Helga. You got flowers in your hair.'_

 _'You wanna make something of it, Football Head?'_

 _'No. I was just thinking you look kinda nice.'_

Helga snapped out of it and put her hand to her head again. What was that one? The first voice sounded like Arnold and he had said her name. She had also heard a voice that sounded like her's but it sounded a little different and what was this term, 'Football Head'. She'd never call Arnold something like that. They barely even knew each other for her to even do so. Or maybe they had known each other for a long time. She _had_ lost her memory after all but she decided to stop thinking about it. She had seen Arnold's worried face and didn't want to see it anymore.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm okay. Thank you for the flower."

He grabbed her hand as he brought them both up to stand. "You deserve it. You remembered to walk on the sidewalk this morning." Arnold looked at the school building. "See? We're already at school. All I really had to do was guide you this time." He looked back at her. "Who knows? Maybe you won't even need me to do _that_ in a couple of days. You'll be able to do it all by yourself soon."

Helga's shoulders lowered at this thought. "Well... when that does happen... does it really mean we can't walk to school together anyway? I like walking to school with you." she said with a bashful smile.

Arnold slightly blushed as well after she said that. "Well, I guess we could still do that. If you are ever up for it."

"I would be."

Arnold smiled, held her hand and led her to the school's font doors where the other kids were on the stairs. Helga felt a little uncomfortable around all these new faces of people that she may have once known but now didn't even remember their names. She was thankful that Arnold was there to help take off the mental weight that was on her shoulders.

All of them stared at her new appearance in awe. Harold was the first to speak. "Whoa! Helga doesn't look ugly for once!" he said pointing at her. Then he suddenly realized what he said and flinched expecting her to hit him but no such blow came.

Arnold rolled his eyes. "She still has amnesia that's why she didn't show up at school yesterday and why she didn't hit you. Also don't say she looked ugly before." he crossed his arms.

"Sorry... So she still has amnesia?"

"It's true. She can't remember anything. But she's improving more. I can tell." He smiled up at her again and she smiled back feeling proud of herself.

Gerald then spoke up. "Arnold, what in the heck are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" Arnold asked.

Gerald pulled him aside away from the crowd. "I mean what are you doing spending an entire afternoon with Helga Pataki and now walking her to school today?"

They both looked at her. She was fiddling with her skirt awkwardly and looking back at them every few seconds. Clearly waiting for Arnold to come back.

Arnold then looked back at Gerald. "What else am I supposed to do, Gerald? This whole amnesia thing is my fault. I'm responsible. I can't just ignore her."

" _Of course_ you can."

" _Gerald_." Arnold stood with his hands on his hips clearly starting to get annoyed.

Gerald raised his hands in defense. "Alright, but I'm warning you. This is _not_ going to be fun."

Then they heard Harold talk loudly and slowly to Helga as if she had gone deaf and not just without her memory.

" **HELLO, HEL-GA! MY NAME IS HAR-OLD! DO YOU REMEMBER ME?!** " He finished.

Helga had leaned her body slightly back because of his loudness. "Um... sorry, no."

Arnold took this time to rescue her from this madness. He grabbed hold of her hand again. "Come on. I'll help you find your locker."

"What is 'locker'?" Helga asked.

Then they both walked into the building as the rest of the kids stared after them.

"I reckon that's the most pathetic thing I have ever seen." said Stinky.

"She's turned into a total _freak_. Not a bad outfit though." Rhonda added.

* * *

 **(A/N) Alright, so some of you may have noticed I kept in some things that's in the actual episode but just added and took out a few things, even some of the things Helga said when she was faking the amnesia. That might happen a few times throughout this story but not all the time and if you don't mind that then that's great!**

 **Now I know that maybe to some of you may think that Olga is being stupid for setting them up here but she's caught up in the moment here, trying to play cupid and all. She's not exactly thinking about the consequences that trying to set up Arnold and Helga could bring even after what the doctor said if you remember in chapter 3. But she's too caught up in helping Helga out of sisterly love that she had forgotten when Arnold first showed up at the door. Unfortunately she's human and sometimes humans make mistakes without thinking.**

 **Anyway, hope you like what I've done this chapter. Remember, reviews motivate and fuel me.**


	5. Like a Chain

**(A/N) Wow, I'm glad I'm getting such nice reviews from you all. This is so awesome. You guys are awesome. Alright let's continue.**

* * *

As Arnold told her outside the building, he took her to her locker and helped her with her combination and how it worked. He even offered to carry her books for her. She accepted the offer and smiled at him the whole way to class just listening to him talk to her about what she missed yesterday in school.

Once they were in the class room, Mr. Simmons had let the whole class know about what Helga's doctor had said about her amnesia and how to handle everything when she gets her memory back. With that said almost everyone looked at Helga in sympathy and she felt a bit uncomfortable with all eyes on her.

Mr. Simmons saw the destress in her eyes and decided to save her. He clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright, everyone! Time to get back to work on our geography reading assignments! Everyone sit with who you were paired up with yesterday."

Everyone got up and walked up to their partners. Helga saw the girl that was on the school's front steps this morning walk up to them.

"Ready to discuss last night's reading assignment, _Geography Buddy_?" She said the last part in a way that made Helga's skin slightly boil but Helga wasn't sure why it bothered her _that_ much.

"Sure." Arnold said back.

"Hey, Helga." a voice said beside Helga that snapped her out of it. Helga looked the way the voice came from. It was a very tall girl with a map in her hand. "Hi, Do you remember me? I'm Sheena. Mr. Simmons paired us up yesterday. Let's get to work." Sheena took a seat next to her.

The whole time Helga couldn't concentrate. Not only because she didn't know or at least didn't remember how geography worked but also she couldn't stop looking at Arnold and the girl from before working together so close.

After a short while of Helga staring at them Sheena finally noticed Helga wasn't paying attention to what she was saying. "Helga, are you listening?"

"HUH?" Helga came back to reality finally.

"Is something wrong?" Sheena asked.

"Uh, no..." Helga had to know so she asked Sheena. "What's the name of the girl who's working with Arnold?"

Sheena looked over at the two. "Oh, that's Rhonda. Since you don't remember her I should remind you to watch out. She's a little rough around the edges."

"Hmm... she is?"

"Yeah. She's a little intimidating but not as much as _you_ are, Helga." Then Sheena thought about what she said. "... well not as much as you _usually_ are, I mean. But I'm sure you'll bounce back when you get your memory back. Now let's get back to work."

"Yeah..." Helga responded absentmindedly. _Her_? _Intimidating_? That was a strange thought to Helga. She really wished she knew more about who she was.

After that, Helga tried her best to focus but she just couldn't get her mind off of Arnold and Rhonda. At some point Sheena had noticed once again that Helga wasn't paying attention but she pretended not to notice because she honestly expected nothing less from a classmate that had lost their memory so she let it go out of pity.

* * *

As soon as the bell rang for lunch break everyone was ran out of the classroom. Helga was happy to see that the first thing that Arnold did was come up to Helga's desk. He looked down at Helga's book. "That's great! You were holding your book the right way today." he told her with a smile.

Helga looked at the book in her hands. She was glad that he noticed this but the whole time she hadn't been reading it because she was too focused on Arnold and Rhonda but she couldn't let Arnold know that. "Oh, yeah. My sister spent all night last night re-teaching me how to read so thanks to her I'm not having as many problems as before."

"That's good news."

She closed the book and pulled out her lunch box that Olga had packed for her. "Yeah, but we didn't get to very many big words like a lot of these in this book. I really don't know what I'm gonna do about my homework for tonight since she's gotten back to her trip. Maybe my parents will help me." Helga said as she slouched a bit into her chair.

Arnold scratched the back of his neck feeling guilty once again. He had plans with Gerald tonight but if Helga was going to struggle with her homework tonight and he wasn't sure if her parents were gonna help her, him knowing a bit on how they were like, he figured maybe this one time he could miss his plans with Gerald. He was hoping he would understand. "Hey, how about I help you with your homework tonight?"

Helga sat up straight with joy. "Really? You'd do that?"

"Sure. Come on. Let's go to lunch." Arnold said as he took Helga's hand and led her to the cafeteria.

* * *

Once Arnold bought his lunch and both he and Helga reached the door to the outside, Arnold held the door for Helga as they entered.

As they were headed for a bench to sit and eat, they heard "Hey, Arnold! Aren't ya gonna sit with us today?"

They turned around and saw that the voice came from Stinky.

"Sorry, guys. I gotta sit with Helga. She needs me." Arnold replied.

"Okay. Suit yourself." said Sid.

Arnold and Helga continued walking and reached the bench.

Helga felt bad about the result of their recent encounter with Arnold's friends and how he felt the need to turn them down because of her. She _did_ want him to sit with her. In fact she found herself really enjoying all the attention she was getting from him but she was starting to feel like if she haven't lost her memory he probably would be sitting with his friends and _not_ her. "Arnold, are you sure you're okay with not sitting with your friends?" she asked him.

"What? No. I _want_ to sit with you." Arnold partially lied. Partiallybecause he _would_ rather sit with his friends but he didn't despise spending the day with Helga so far but he guessed thatwas probably because _this_ Helga was different from what she was usually like and if he was really honest with himself he liked this nice Helga. Maybe if she was this nice they would probably hang out more often.

Helga shrugged "If you say so." she opened the pudding that was in her lunch, took out her spoon and started eating showing Arnold her progress.

"Helga, you're doing great. Yesterday you didn't even know how to use a spoon and today you do."

"Well, once again, Olga re-taught me." Helga said with a sad smile on her face.

"She helped you out a lot last night, huh?" Arnold asked.

"Yeah. A whole lot. I liked spending time with her. I think that if she wasn't there I'd probably be sitting here sticking my spoon into my ear again or something." They both laughed at the thought. "I'm just a little sad she won't be here tonight..."

Arnold put his hand on her shoulder. "Well you don't have to worry. You'll have me there to help you out."

Helga smiled at him "Thanks, Arnold."

They then started at each other for a minute then quickly looked away from each other and did a nervous laugh. Neither one of them could figure out why both of their cheeks were burning up for that split second. They decided to just forget about it and continue eating.

* * *

Later the school bell rang letting everyone know that the school day was over. Arnold and Helga were in the halls when Helga stopped at a drinking fountain.

"What's this, Arnold?" Helga asked.

"This is a drinking fountain. Here, I'll show you how it works." He walked up to it and turned the knob for it to turn on.

Helga bent down to drink the water and then she finished. "Thanks, Arnold."

"You're welcome, Helga. Wait here while I go to my locker. I'll be back in a minute to walk you home." Arnold told her as he was walking down the hall towards his locker.

Helga watched him go and leaned on the near by lockers to rest. She found herself letting out a sigh. How come she did that? Why were her insides always feeling fluttery whenever Arnold gave her attention. Then Helga heard someone down the hall were Arnold was.

"Only three more hours till the Old Timers game, buddy." Helga looked and found out it came from the boy that pulled Arnold aside to speak with him alone for some reason this morning.

"I can't go, Gerald. I have to take care of Helga." Arnold said to him back.

"Arnold, how much time are you gonna spend with that girl? I mean missing the Old Timers game? This is ridiculous." Gerald said putting his hands on his hips looking annoyed.

"Look, Gerald. It's like I said before. I'm responsible. I really don't have a choice."

"I'm feeling for ya, buddy. I really do." Gerald said in pity.

Helga turned away from the conversion. Guilt started to eat at her inside. She put her hand to her chest and realized she hadn't taken off the locket she found around her neck yesterday. She pulled it out from under her shirt and looked at the picture of Arnold inside of it. She still had to wonder why she even had this. Somehow looking at his innocent face made her feel worse. She was holding him back all because of her amnesia. Arnold only felt obligated to help her. He didn't really _want_ to help her and do all these things for her. She even heard him say so in a way. She just wished that she had her memory back so that Arnold didn't have a reason to keep doing this. She was going to have to let him go.

"Ready to go?" Arnold asked her as he came back up to her.

"ARNOLD!" Helga jumped and quickly put the locket back where it was. "I am but... we need to talk."

"Okay, well we can talk while we go to your house." Arnold said as her took her hand and walked her to the school's exit.

"Alright then." Helga knew that she needed guidance back to her house and was a bit to afraid to go alone so she accepted that much but the help with her homework wasn't going to happen on her watch.

"So, something up?" Arnold asked as they went through the doors and down the steps.

"Actually, yes. I _may_ have heard you talking with your friend about going to something together in three hours."

Arnold looked down "Oh, yeah."

"So when I heard your conversation I was thinking that you've already have done so much for me but... I feel like I'm some kind of chain that is around your ankle and you can't escape. So, I want you go with your friend. I can already tell he doesn't like me very much and if I was completely honest, ...if I didn't know any better I'd say that if I didn't have amnesia we'd never be this close. I just have this feeling, you know? I mean... why else didn't you sit with your friends at lunch? If they were my friends we'd sit with them wouldn't we?"

"That's not true, Helga! we do things together all the time." Arnold tried to reassure her.

"So, we usually do all the things together that we did today?" She asked not really believing it.

"Sure we -" Arnold stopped himself. He couldn't lie to her. "Okay. We don't. We only really hang out when all of us play baseball together but we never hangout just the two of us." Then Arnold thought about it. "Well, I mean we have done things just the two of us but not very often and sometimes not willingly."

Helga was afraid that _that_ was where they stood originally in their relationship. "So, you're saying that we actually hate each other?"

"What?! No, I didn't say that!" Arnold stopped walking which also made Helga stop since he was holding on to her hand. "I don't _hate_ you, Helga. You may have acted like you hate me and have even said so a few times but inside I've always known that you're smart and you have feelings. And I don't really believe that you have ever hated _me_ either. You've actually done a lot of things for me which has surprised me every time it's happened. That's why I'll never hate you, Helga. "

Helga stared at him as he said all this. "I find it hard to believe that I ever said I hated you. I don't get why I'd say that either. You're a really great guy. Especially if you're able to stand being around someone like me from what you've told me I'm like." They continued walking. "That's why I really don't want to hold you back from doing what you really want to do tonight. You deserve to hangout with your friend."

"Are you sure, Helga?" Arnold asked.

"Yes. I'm sure my parents will help me with my homework, right?"

"...I...guess." Arnold wasn't sure about Helga's way to go about her homework situation but something told him that no matter what Helga was not gonna let him help.

They finally reached Helga's house.

Helga opened the door but before she walked inside she turned around and gave Arnold a kiss peck on the cheek.

Arnold blushed and was taken aback by this. "What was _that_ for?"

"Just for being so nice to me and for all the nice things you said about me and for putting up with someone like me." she was also blushing. She backed into her house. "Night, Arnold." and she closed the door.

"...Night." Arnold just stood there with a dumbfounded look on his face. He never expected something like _that_ from Helga. Then he checked his watch. Only two more hours till the Old Timers game. If he hurried he could still catch up. So he got going.

* * *

 **(A/N) Alright. So I'm now on my own again without some of the original episode's plot to help me along. I'll try my best! Hope you like how I added some of the things that Arnold said in his dream to Helga in the episode "Married". Love that episode. XD**


	6. An Unpleasant Feeling

**(A/N) Thanks for the reviews, everyone. Remember, they're my fuel to keep writing! Alright, let's begin chapter 6.**

* * *

Helga closed the door behind her and sighed dreamily. She didn't really know what made her kiss him like that. They just met the other day... well to her they had. His words just touched her heart even though he had told her some truths about herself that she wished she didn't know, he had said other things that had made her heart soar inside. It was like what made her do it was something unfamiliar and yet familiar at the same time inside her. Could these be new feelings or had it been her normal self doing this. Though, she wondered, if that was her normal self then why did her normal self seem to be the kind of person who wouldn't have done what she just did. Had Arnold been wrong? Helga then quickly pushed that idea out of her mind. She trusted that Arnold wouldn't just lie to her about herself. That'd make no sense. He was perfect.

But once Helga decided to not think about this anymore she remembered her homework trouble. She wasn't completely sure if her parents would help out. It seemed by seeing big man shoes on the mat she assumed that both her mom and dad were home. Which made her think, she hadn't had a chance to re-meet her dad yet. So far he had always come home late.

She stepped further inside her house and stopped at the kitchen's entrance. There she saw her mom sleeping on the table with an empty glass in her had, which wasn't a huge surprise because she had noticed she had done the same thing last night when herself and Olga went downstairs after Olga had done her plucking on her eyebrows. Olga had made her cookies out of guilt for putting her sister through that. Helga thinking back on that made her look around for the jar the cookies were in so she could have one but it wasn't anywhere to be found.

That problem put aside, she knew her mom was sleeping but she wanted to try to ask her for help with her homework anyway. Helga wasn't sure when her mom planned on waking up. Helga went up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. It took a few taps to get her attention but she finally got her to make movement. With a groan first she saw Helga, stared at her as if she was trying to focus on who it was that woke her and then finally spoke. "Mmm, Helga? ...What is it?" she said in her slurring voice.

"Um... I need help with my homework. I'm a little lost and need to get caught up since I missed school yesterday." Helga said with an unsure voice.

Miriam was silent for a few seconds, rubbed her eyes under her glasses and groaned once again. "Oh, I don't know, Honey. Mom is very tired and might go to bed early. Why don't you get your sister to help you again?"

Helga raised her eyebrows at this strange reply. "But..., don't you remember? Olga left to get back to her trip."

Mariam lightly face-palmed. "Oh, that's right! See, Hon? Tired." She got up from her seat and started walking upstairs. "Your father is home, Why don't you ask him?"

Helga's shoulders slumped at this. She had been a little nervous about meeting someone new, _to her,_ alone. She wished that her mom could've come with her to see her dad.

Helga then went searching for him. As she walked more into the house she started to hear the T.V. on. in the next room. As she reached the room she heard the noises from. There she saw a big man in the chair in front of the T.V. watching a game show of some kind. Something with a flashy spinning wheel. Helga decided to be brave and walked up to the man.

Looking undoubtedly uncomfortable, Helga spoke. "Umm... dad?"

The man turned his head at the voice. "Oh, Olga, it's you."

"It's _Helga_!" she corrected him in a harsh tone she didn't realize she had. It was like some sort of reflex to her she didn't know about.

"Right, right. You look different." Bob said as an excuse for his mistake. He waved his hand at her not really caring. He went back to watching and it, in no time it went to commercial. "Oh, yeah. Your mom told me about what happened to ya. This wouldn't have happened to Olga that's for sure."

For some reason, Helga twitched at the last part he added about Olga. What did _she_ have to do with this? Why was he putting her down like this? She had just gotten her memory knocked out of her and that's what he says? Helga had just met her dad again and already he had a certain effect on her she couldn't put her finger on just yet. He was starting to make her feel new feelings and she didn't like them one bit nor did she like _him_. _This_ was her dad? Then she noticed the jar of cookies that Olga had made her in his hand. The jar was almost empty and Helga hadn't even had that many last night and she could see the many cookie crumbs on his shirt. She made her hands into fists. She couldn't stand this feeling. She stormed out of the room. If he was her only option for help with her homework she'd rather fail this subject. She wasn't sure what she'd do if she spent another second with him. She grabbed her backpack, marched up to her room and slammed the door.

She slammed her back against the door and let herself slide to the floor. She pulled her knees up to her chest, rested her arms on them and sunk her head in-between. She closed her eyes and let herself think. What were these awful feelings? Olga had warned her that she was going to be re-introduced to certain feelings again. She had told her some names of them. This feeling she had right now felt awful. Like she could barely control herself. Helga guessed that this feeling must have been 'anger'. It must have been because almost all day at school she had felt fine and then even better when she was around Arnold.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. She came downstairs and opened the door, unsure what to expect. There stood a small girl in glasses with black hair.

"Hey, Helga." the girl greeted.

"...Do I know you?" Helga asked.

"Yes, I'm Phoebe, your best friend."

"Oh." Helga let her in. She could use a friend right now even if she didn't remember them. "Why are you here?"

"Gerald called me. He said you needed help with your homework. I would've offered to help before but I assumed Arnold was going to and I didn't want to be in the way of _anything_ which is also why I didn't approach you at all today. You seemed to be enjoying your time with him." Phoebe said with a knowing look.

"Arnold's friend called you? I thought he didn't like me. Why would he want to help me?" Helga wondered.

"Well, Gerald told me that Arnold 'wouldn't shut up' about your homework problem so he called me to come and help you so that Arnold could finally focus on the game and 'start being fun again'." She told her with a smile. "It's sweet that Arnold was so worried."

Helga blushed thinking about it. It was like everything that she had been mad about instantly disappeared all because of Arnold.

Phoebe gave yet another knowing smile after seeing Helga's blush. She already knew that even though Helga had lost her memory she was already starting to fall for Arnold once again. Phoebe grabbed her hand and pulled her upstairs to her room. "Come on, Helga. It's time to get this work done immediately!"

* * *

Phoebe had helped out tremendously. Helga could see why she called her her best friend. She had helped her with the work and made it easier to understand in her own way. It was as if they finished it all in no time. Phoebe even had time to prompt her with a few other subjects so that she was ready for when Mr. Simmons brought up other subjects to do in class.

"Thanks so much, Phoebe." Helga hugged Phoebe.

Helga's hugs were rare to Phoebe so she accepted the hug instantly. She wasn't sure how long this would last. "You're certainly welcome, Helga." They let go of each other. "So did you enjoy your day with Arnold?"

Helga blushed yet again. "Yeah, I did a lot actually. It's weird. Every time I think about him, and especially when I'm around him my face get's hot. What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing is wrong with you. You just really like him. It's a good feeling." Phoebe said with a smile.

* * *

That night after Phoebe went home Helga got ready for bed and then got settled. Before she went to sleep she decided to read another page of her pink book. She hadn't had read all the poems yet. She enjoyed reading them page by page one a night. She was also hoping she get more clues on who she was writing about in this book. So far she hadn't gotten to a page where it revealed his name yet. It was suspenseful and fun for her in a way. She opened it up. It read:

 _Your eyes, like two green jellybeans,_  
 _Are pools I want to bathe in._  
 _My head doth swoon, and yet_  
 _I want to beat your face in._

Helga closed the book. ' _That_ was a funny one' she thought to herself. She then put the book on her desk, slipped into bed and closed her eyes. Eager for the next day when she could see Arnold again and feel that wonderful feeling.

* * *

 **(A/N) Alright, everyone. Did you like that one? I know some of you were asking where Phoebe was. Well here she is. I tried my best to come up with a reason why she never showed up in _Beaned_. I hope it's acceptable enough for you. Also, incase some of you are wondering... the page in the pink book that Olga read, in chapter 3, that had Arnold's name mentioned was a page she randomly went to and she read that page to herself if you don't remember. That's why Helga doesn't know all these poems are all about him. **

**Hope you give a review. Reviews are my motivation fuel.**


	7. Helga's Hero

**(A/N) I didn't get very many reviews last chapter :( ...so it was a little hard to be motivated for this chapter so hope this read isn't too bad for you all...**

* * *

The next day, Helga woke up with a flinch to the sudden sound of her alarm clock. Helga still didn't remember everything. She slipped out of bed, went to her closet and started to get dressed. After she put on her shirt and skirt she was looking for her bow that she absentmindedly threw into her closet because she was too sleepy to care where she put it at the time. She went on her hands and knees and started to search for it.

It took just a few seconds to find it. Helga picked the bow up and under it she saw a red shoe. She picked it up with her free hand and looked closely at it. Then suddenly, she started to remember something. It was another memory she believed. While she had been seeing these supposed memories she never saw visually what was going on but did hear voices and yet again this memory had the same voices as the last. Herself and Arnold's voices.

 _"What a crazy night, huh?"_ said her voice.

 _"Uh... yeah. There's one thing I still don't understand... who are you?"_ Arnold's voice came.

 _"I... um... can't tell you."_

 _"Why not?"_

 _"I JUST CAN'T! OKAY?!"_

She snapped out of it and then looked down at the shoe.

"What was that one about?" She asked herself. She wondered why Arnold would ask her who she was in that way. As if she could've been someone else. Was that really a memory? This one made her wonder if these actually _were_ memories or she was just going crazy. She looked at the shoe again and found it to be pretty wondering if she could probably wear them to school, she tried to look for the other shoe but couldn't seem to find it. If she looked around for it any longer she'd be late for school so she left it alone and went downstairs.

As Helga came down she didn't see either of her parents around. She knew that there was more stuff to do to get ready for school but she didn't exactly remember how to do that stuff. Olga did all those things for her the day before. Helga was starting to realize that her mom wasn't exactly reliable and she figured that her dad, who she was relieved she hadn't ran into again, was at work by now. She sighed and just started to go outside even though she was hungry but then it came to her that she still didn't remember where the school even was. She was gonna have to guess where it was she supposed but was panicking on the inside. With a shaky hand Helga gripped the doorknob, turned it and opened the door unprepared for whatever she thought was to come in her mind.

* * *

Once outside, Helga walked down the stoop and all she could really remember was which way to turn from where she was which was to the right. She started to walk that way but then came at a crossroads. Did she turn the next corner or cross the street? She really didn't want to go with the latter in question but she had a feeling that that was the way to go. She went up to the edge of the side walk where the street started. Helga stood at the edge almost frozen. Arnold had told her that what she was about to do could be dangerous and there was no one around to ask for help.

Helga took a deep breath and started walking forward. She seemed to be making progress but an unexpected fast moving car was speeding towards her and Helga stood there frozen in place.

" **HELGA, LOOK OUT!** " She heard a voice say before she was forcefully pushed to the ground out of the way of the car. She had her eyes closed but she could feel somebody on top of her.

Helga heard the car swoosh by and then she opened her eyes to see who her rescuer was. It was Arnold.

"Arnold!" she gasped in shock.

"Helga! Oh my god. I told you to be careful! Why didn't you wait for the light that told you to walk!?" He yelled as he pointed to the light on the sidewalk that told people when to do so.

Helga looked up at the light he was pointing at and then laughed awkwardly "Oh, I guess I didn't notice it. I was kind of freaking out a bit too much to notice I guess." She felt stupid now. "Sorry."

Arnold sighed "It's fine, I'm just glad you're o...kay..." his sentence started to trail off when he got a good look at her face since he was so up close to it. He _did_ see how pretty she looked yesterday but he had never been _this_ close to her before. She'd never let him be this close to her face before in his life. He never realized just how blue Helga's eyes were. They were breathtaking.

Helga noticed his intense stare, blushed herself and looked away to Arnold's slight disappointment. Then he realized the position they were in. He quickly got off her, blushing with embarrassment. He cleared his throat and being the gentleman he was, offered his hand to help her up which she accepted with also a blush on her face.

"Sorry for decking you like that. I hope you're not hurt." Arnold apologized, still holding her hand.

Helga didn't bring attention to her hand still being in his since she was afraid if she did he'd let it go. "It's alright. You saved me by doing so. Don't apologize. Thank you." she said with a smile. Then Helga looked down and noticed Arnold's knee had a scrape on it and it looked kind of big. I was slightly bleeding. "OH NO! Arnold, your knee!"

Arnold looked at what she was pointing to and saw the rip in his pants and the scrape. "It's no big deal, really." Arnold tried to calm her down though now that she had pointed it out he was starting to feel a sting to it a bit. He just hadn't noticed before since he was so focused on scolding Helga at the time.

"No, Arnold, it's bleeding! Shouldn't we do something?!" Helga yelled as she fisted her hair in her hands.

Arnold pulled Helga's hands out of her hair to make her stop. "It's okay, Helga! We'll just go to the nurse's once we get to school. If we stand here any longer it'll _might_ get worse. Let's just get going." But as he stretched out his leg to walk and put weight on it he hissed in pain a bit.

"Arnold! Are you okay?" Helga ask as she instantly went to his side.

"Yeah. It just kinda hurts to walk. I can still stand fine though." He tried not to sound too hurt.

"But you have to walk. We need to get to school."

"I know. Let me try again." He tried again but it came with the same reaction from him.

Helga looked him over then thought of something. "How far is the school again?" She asked Arnold.

"Not that far away. Why?"

"Let me carry you then since you say its not far." Helga believed she could do so since he wasn't that tall and she had a feeling he wasn't all that heavy. "You can just point to which way we go to guide me to school."

Arnold thought about this and knew that he'd be a bit embarrassed if anyone saw him in her arms. He thought it'd be weird if he was being carried by a girl. He'd get ripped on for sure. He looked at his watch. A lot of time had passed. They'd be late by the time they got to school at this point. Arnold then thought if they were late that would mean that the kids would be in class and no one would see them. But then again would she even be able to carry him? He didn't want to tire her out if he was too heavy.

"Well... only if you _can_ carry me _and_ I don't tire you out." He said hesitantly.

As soon as Helga got the 'okay' she instantly went to pick him up. She _was_ able to lift him bridal style which made him wide eyed and blush a little out of embarrassment. He was kind of heavy but not so much that she couldn't walk with him in her arms.

"Okay, let's go!" She said with determination in her voice but there did seem to be a sign of a struggle in her voice as well but she ignored it.

Arnold heard the struggle in it and felt bad. "Are you sure you can do this?"

"JUST TELL ME THE WAY TO GO!" she yelled sounding like her old self again which made Arnold sort of brighten up when he recognized it.

"Okay, okay." He knew there was no talking her out of this so he went along with Helga's idea.

* * *

As expected they were late when Helga finally reached the school and no one was there to witness Helga carrying Arnold, much to his relief.

' _Just a little further._ ' Helga thought to herself. She was determined to get him to the nurse's.

Luckily Helga had succeeded in getting him there without dropping him on the ground and causing him more pain. She quickly dropped him on a bed as soon as she saw one and then she dropped to the ground in exhaustion.

Arnold sat up in worry looking down at her. "Helga! Are you okay?"

Helga huffed rapidly for a few seconds but eventually was finally able to respond. "Yeah... I'm okay... Are _you_ okay?"

Arnold chuckled, unable to comprehend why she was worried about him when she did all the walking. "I'm touched by your concern for me but I really am fine. You know, your regular self would never get this worried about me."

Helga instantly stood up at that comment. "I refuse to believe that! I mean why wouldn't she?"

Arnold looked at her funny after the last thing she said. "'Why wouldn't _she_ '? Why are you talking about your regular self as if she's another person?"

Helga went wide eyed at his reaction to what she said. That had been how she started talking about her regular self since yesterday. Now she wouldn't dare let him know why. She wasn't sure if he'd like the reason why if that was his reaction to it. "Never mind that! All I'm saying is that I don't think _I_ could be that heartless! Especially after you saved my life." She sighed. "I'm sorry, Arnold. This is all my fault. All because I wasn't paying attention and was so scared I'd get lost."

Arnold held her hand. This caught her attention immediately. "Helga, Just know... I would do it again if time turned back to that moment. Don't feel bad." He said with a stern look on his face to get his point across.

"Really?" Helga smiled.

"Well yeah! If I didn't I'd never forgive myself. I'd be letting you die!" His thumb caressed her hand as he said that. "You're important to me because well who else is gonna yell at me everyday and in those rare times... be loyal to me." He chuckled and smiled at her with his signature half-lidded smile.

Right then and there Helga hugged him so suddenly that Arnold at first didn't process what was happening but she hugged him long enough that when he _did_ process what was going on he was frozen in place and felt his face burn up. He hoped that once Helga let go she wouldn't confirm that he was red in the face. When she did let go she didn't say anything about his face possibly being red which made him relax a tiny bit.

"Oh! I should get the nurse! Be right back!" And with that she ran off.

Once she was out of sight he leaned back and thought about what just happened. He wasn't expecting a hug from Helga at all. _He_ was usually the one who initiated hugs towards her which wasn't very often and not nearly as long as _that_ because she would always instantly push him away. It had made him feel uncomfortable but he also kind of liked it at the same time which confused him. In fact when he really thought about it he realized he _had_ been touchy feely a lot towards her since she lost her memory. Was it possible he might have taken advantage of the fact that she wouldn't be her regular self and wouldn't push him away? Maybe he had led her on and she was starting to like him. He hoped not. Or _did_ he hope not? He had never let himself think of her that way before but if he really thought about it... maybe he wouldn't mind _that_ much. He didn't know what to think. If she _did_ have feelings for him that might make things complicated especially since Helga wasn't herself. Helga would _never_ have feelings towards him. He sighed at that thought but he wondered why that thought _bothered_ him.

* * *

 **(A/N) So... how was that chapter? I hope you found some enjoyment out of it. I also hope I didn't go too much out of character with Arnold. I'm not sure if I did. I tried not to best I could. But hey, if I** _ **did**_ **it's bound to happen with fan fiction sometimes. Well I think shippers will enjoy this at least.**

 **Remember, REVIEWS ARE MY FUEL FOR MOTIVATION!**


	8. Lunch Time

**(A/N) Wow, I got a major bounce forward in reviews last chapter. They were all so nice. I'm so glad so many people liked last chapter. Thanks so much.**

* * *

"Whoa, man. Are you okay?" Gerald asked in worry while whispering to him after he saw Arnold slightly limping beside Helga while she was helping him walk into the classroom and helping him to his desk and then she walked away to her own.

"I'm fine, Gerald. To be honest Helga is making it look like a bigger deal than it actually is." Arnold whispered back. "I can walk fine. It's just a little limp and it doesn't hurt as much anymore. The bandage helped a lot."

"So how did it happen?" Gerald asked.

"Pay attention, boys" Mr. Simmons warned the two when he caught them talking. Arnold and Gerald obeyed and kept quiet. Gerald started writing on a piece of paper and then sneakily passed it to Arnold. Arnold took it and it read:

 _How did it happen?_

Arnold wrote something underneath Gerald's question and then passed it back to him. Gerald took it and it read:

 _I'll tell you later._

* * *

When the bell rang for lunch Gerald got up with the rest of the class. He stood by Arnold's desk waiting for him to get up as well. Arnold carefully got up from his chair and was about to follow Gerald out of the room when he noticed Helga hadn't budged from her seat. She was slouching and looking a little down.

Arnold stopped. Gerald noticed this and stopped as well looking back at him. "What's wrong, man?" He asked.

"Uhh... you go on ahead. I'll catch up." Arnold told him. Gerald just shrugged his shoulders and went on ahead. Arnold walked over to Helga. "Aren't you gonna get ready for lunch?" He asked.

Helga did hear him but didn't look at him out of embarrassment. "I don't have a lunch with me... or money... I'm hopeless." She sighed. Then her stomach growled. She hugged it after hearing it.

"Judging by the sound of your stomach I'm guessing you're starved."

She nodded. "Well, I kinda missed out on breakfast too." She slumped even further down in her chair still not looking at him. "First I can't make myself food or find money to use and I can't even cross the street without putting myself _and_ yourself in danger in the process. I can't do anything right."

"So no one was there to help you this morning?"

Helga shook her head in reply.

That knowledge made Arnold want to face palm. Why did Helga's parents have to be the way they were? She was going through memory loss for god-sake. He hated it when Helga put herself down. He wanted to do something to make her feel better. Then he got an idea. "Helga, I wanna take you somewhere so you can eat but we gotta hurry before lunch break is over. I'm gonna need you to help me get there a little faster. I'll show you the way." She finally stood up and went to try to pick him up like this morning but Arnold stopped her before she could lift him off the floor. "Wait! Hang on, we're still in the school." He warned her. "Besides it doesn't hurt that much anymore that you need to do that."

"Oh, okay." Helga was a bit disappointed that she couldn't carry him because she honestly liked carrying him. It made her feel like she wasn't a nuisance that couldn't do anything.

* * *

Later they left school grounds and they went to a place Helga hadn't been to before... or at least didn't remember. The place's name was called, _Slausen's_. Helga and Arnold went inside as the door's bell rang to let the owners know they had costumers. They took a seat at the bar side by side.

Arnold turned to her. "This place has the best milkshakes that'll have no problem filling you up." He said with a smile.

Helga smiled back with excitement. She grabbed a menu and started looking through it. They all looked very delicious. One that caught her attention was called 'Strawberry Mango Milkshake'.

She showed it to Arnold which he immediately declined she'd have. "Whoa, no Helga. No strawberries."

Helga was taken aback by this. "Why not?"

"Because you're allergic to strawberries."

"I am?"

"Yeah. Here I'll show you one of my favourites you could try." He took the menu from her and searched for his favourite to show her. After searching for a few seconds he found it. 'Tapioca Pearls Milkshake'. "Try this one." He handed the menu back to her so she could see.

I didn't look as appetizing as the one she wanted but she decided to trust Arnold. "Well... okay."

Arnold was planning on paying for Helga's since she didn't have any money but when he looked at the price of the milkshake he realized he really only had enough money for one. He rolled his eyes. He should've thought about this before he suggested they'd go. This wasn't his day. He only had enough for one because the money he had was originally going to be used for an entire school lunch which was cheaper. The milkshake itself would be enough to fill a person up like he said before so that wasn't a problem. He couldn't go back on the milkshake idea now though. He didn't want to disappoint Helga. She had looked so excited. Then he decided that'd he'd just buy only Helga's milkshake because he had at least had breakfast. She hadn't.

"What will it be, kids?" The employee who worked there asked them.

"One Tapioca Pearl Milkshake." He replied.

The employee nodded and went to make his order.

Helga looked at him funny after hearing his order. "One?"

"Yeah..." Arnold scratched the back of his neck. "I just realized that I don't have enough money to buy two so I'm just gonna buy yours."

"Arnold, you don't have to do that. It's my fault I didn't come prepared for anything. I'm sure I'll be fine. I'm not that hungry." But then her stomach told him otherwise as it growled once again.

Arnold looked at her stomach and then came back in contact with her eyes. "Helga, I would feel better if you ate something. I don't want you fainting in the middle of class or something. Besides I ate breakfast unlike you. Let me do this."

Something told Helga that he was gonna be stubborn about this so she didn't fight back. She just sighed in defeat. "Alright. If you're sure."

Then the employee returned with the order and he placed it between them. The order had two straws in it. "Enjoy, lovebirds." He said with a smirk.

For a second Arnold and Helga didn't know what he was talking about until they noticed the two straws. Then they both blushed and looked away from each other.

' _Oh, man. The guy thinks we're on a date._ ' Arnold thought to himself. ' _I mean I get why he'd assume that since I only ordered one, but still!_ '. They had shared a drink together in the past but that was only because they were pretending to be together to make Lila jealous. This was different.

Helga on the other hand had mixed feelings about what the guy assumed the two to be. It embarrassed her but in some way the thought had made her flutter inside. If she was honest with herself she didn't mind at all sharing the milkshake with him. She looked at the milkshake and took a sip using the straw that was pointed towards her. She loved the taste and it tasted familiar. This must've been a flavour that her regular self must've liked a lot because _she_ did. She looked over at Arnold who still had his head turned away from her. She spoke up to get his attention. "Wow, this was a good call, Arnold. It's really good. Buuuut it would be a shame if I let _you_ starve. There _is_ another straw here. You wanna... maybe share?"

Arnold turned to look at her in shock. Was she serious? _Now_ he knew the old Helga was no where to be found in her right now. Never in a million years would she want to share a milkshake with him. Besides, did she not realize what she was suggesting? If he went along with it they'd look like a couple. He didn't want to acknowledge the awkward situation but he had to get his point across. "Uhh, Helga... that's what couples do. We're not... well we uh..." He wasn't sure how to let her know about this without sounding rude.

Helga, however, knew where he was getting at. "I know. But it doesn't have to be what that guy is thinking we are. You gotta have _something_ to eat don't you?"

"What if someone sees us?"

"Nobody we know will see us. They're all at school."

She had a point there and he was getting pretty hungry just thinking about tasting the milkshake. "Well... okay, I guess." He then took a sip with his own straw and she did the same. Arnold just knew that if someone caught them rumours could spread like wildfire. He also felt guilty about doing this because it made him think about his theory he had while he was in the nurse's office about him possibly leading her on. This would just make it worse if it were true. But he didn't get why something at the back of his mind said that he was having fun doing this with her. It wasn't disgusting like when they shared gum together that's for sure. He was wondering if he was going crazy at this point.

Helga's heart was racing the whole time they were drinking the milkshake. She wished that the drink was bottomless so that they could do this forever but alas they soon finished it.

They both couldn't believe they just did that. Arnold just decided he would try to pretend it was harmless like they intended. He would continue to deny that the whole thing made him feel awkward and something else he refused to think about.

Arnold payed for the drink and they both left before the lunch bell rang. On the way back they didn't say much to each other and they definitely didn't bring up the milkshake aside from Helga thanking him for it. It didn't help that Helga was helping him walk a bit which meant more skin contact between the two which no longer seemed 'friendly' anymore and more like it meant something else.

The walk back certainly had given them both things to think about.

* * *

When they got back to the classroom Helga helped Arnold to his chair when he didn't really need help. She was worrying about him a little too much. He thought it was nice and all but he also thought that it was a bit unnecessary. When he got to his seat Gerald had passed him a note. Arnold took it and it read:

 _You kinda blew me off at lunch what happened to you?_

Arnold wrote under it, passed it to Gerald. He read it and it said:

 _Sorry, I forgot to tell you, something came up. Stop passing notes. We'll get caught._

Gerald sent one last note to him which read:

 _Okay, but after class I demand answers._

Arnold rolled his eyes. He _really_ didn't want to tell him what happened. He knew that he would judge considering the way he reacted to him looking out for Helga let alone hang out with her in general and he couldn't lie to him either. He knew that he was a bad liar. He'd probably would think they went out on a date. No, he _would_ think that they did. He had a feeling it was going to be tough trying to convince him otherwise.

* * *

 **(A/N) Sorry this chapter was more awkward than romantic for the scenario that Arnold and Helga were in with the milkshake but I like to have the characters stay in character as much as I can and if they're going to do this at this point this is probably how it would go. Also, _Tapioca Pearls Milkshake_ is an actual thing. I didn't know that. I don't know if it actually tastes good but Arnold and Helga both like tapioca so... whatever.**

 **REVIEWS ARE MY MOTIVATION FUEL!**


	9. Interrogation

**(A/N) Sorry this chapter took more days than usual to update than the others. Thanks for the reviews. Enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

The school bell had rung for the end of the day. Everyone got up from their desks eager to get home and enjoy their freedom for the rest of the day. Helga had hurried over to Arnold's desk to help him up from his chair which made Gerald roll his eyes and Arnold blush from embarrassment, due to her fussing over him and also about what happened between them during lunch.

The three walked out of class and then to Arnold's locker. Gerald spoke up once they got there. "Alright, Arnold. We need to talk, remember?"

Arnold sighed. He was really hoping that Gerald had forgotten about the whole thing over the course of the class but unfortunately he hadn't. "Yeah, yeah." He said in an irritated but monotone voice.

Gerald looked over to Helga standing there with her hands behind her back. "Would you mind giving us some privacy for at _least_ a _few_ minutes, Helga?" He asked sounding a bit annoyed with her hanging around Arnold like a lost puppy.

Helga could sense the slight annoyance in his voice as he spoke to her which made her feel like the obvious nuisance to him she was. She rubbed her arm and looked down in embarrassment. "Oh, yeah, sure." She started to walk away slowly not really sure where she was headed.

Arnold of course noticed her mood and gave Gerald a bit of a glare. Gerald noticed this and shrugged while mouthing a 'what?' to him.

"Helga!" Arnold raised his voice to get her to turn around. She did. "Go wait where I asked you to wait for me yesterday. I'll meet you there when I'm done here, okay?" He finished with a smile.

Helga smiled back, nodded and then walked to the place Arnold asked her to wait.

Once Gerald saw Helga at a safe distance from them to talk he started. "Look, man. I know that you kinda busted your knee but Helga is making this a bigger deal than it actually looks. Are you even in _that_ much pain that she has to do that?"

Arnold started putting away his books as he replied to Gerald. "Well, it's true that it doesn't hurt that much but I can't just push Helga away when she's just trying to help."

"Listen to yourself. You just used the word ' _help_ ' and ' _Helga_ ' in the same sentence. Helga doesn't _help_ people. I know she's not herself right now but it's still weird. I know that you say she's your responsibility and all but lately it's like your life revolves around her or something. If I didn't know any better I'd guess that it's probably _Helga's_ fault you got hurt in the first place. Am I right?"

Arnold bit his bottom lip at that. "Well... not exactly..."

"So I _am_ right? What happened?"

"Well, this morning I saw her walking to school alone, trying to cross the street, which I knew from the get go that _that_ wasn't gonna end well. She was about to be road kill by some jerk who must've been blind!" He slammed his locker shut in slight anger as he said that last part just thinking about the careless driver. "I tried yelling to her to move out of the way but she wouldn't budge so I had to use myself to get her out of the way. I must've not made such a great landing because when we stood up she noticed that my knee was bleeding. When it was pointed out it did hurt. It was hard to walk to school after that." Arnold wouldn't _dare_ tell Gerald how he was able to make it to school.

"So you saved her life?"

"Well why wouldn't I? Are you actually implying she's not worth it or something?! Jeez, it's just a cut. It's not like I broke my legs or anything. Though even it that were the case I'd still do it!" he tried not to yell but he was pretty sure some people in the area heard him. _Helga_ probably heard. He hoped not.

Gerald held up his hands in front of him in defense. "Whoa! Whoa! I didn't mean it like that. Helga is a harsh person but I don't think she deserves to die. All I meant by that was that's a pretty big deal." he leaned against the lockers. "Too bad she won't remember you doing that when she get's her memory back, huh? You could've held that over her forever." he chuckled.

Arnold frowned at that. Not because he couldn't use that against her in the future but more because even though it hadn't been very long that she had her memory loss they had done a number of things that he was sure if the real Helga knew about them she would just laugh in his face and he wasn't sure if he could handle that because if he was honest with himself he was on some level enjoying being around this new Helga.

Arnold faked a chuckle. "Ha ha, yeah... too bad."

"So what are you doing tonight? Wanna go shoot some hoops or something?" Gerald asked.

Arnold paused and gave a sheepish guilty smile at him. "Well, actually-"

"Let me guess." Gerald interrupted. "Helga has you for the night. Am I right?"

"Yeah... I'm going to help her with her homework tonight at her place. Even though she said it was okay to hang out with you last night I still felt guilty. I know she still got help from Phoebe but I feel like I owe her and... I _want_ to help her."

"So, let me get this straight. You _want_ to spend time with her. With _Helga_. The girl who has been on your case since _kindergarten_?" Gerald crossed his arms. "You know, you _still_ haven't told me where you were at lunch. You were with Helga again, weren't you?"

Arnold sighed ' _Guess it's about that time_.' he thought to himself. "Okay, yes. I was. I took her out for a milkshake at _Slausen's."_

Gerald went wide-eyed. "What? You guys went out on a date?!"

"NO! I just did it because she hadn't had anything to eat all day at that point and she didn't have a lunch with her or money!" Arnold said quickly.

"Why didn't you just buy her something from the cafeteria then?"

"She was feeling down and I felt bad for her. I just wanted to make her feel better, okay?."

"How did you even pay for that? Two milkshakes over there are pretty pricey this time of year. One lunch at the school costs less than two milkshakes over there."

' _Wish a knew that at lunch._ ' Arnold thought. "Yeah... when we got there I realized that when I actually _saw_ the price."

"So then what did you do? Pay for _her's_ or something? Did you end up sacrificing _your_ hunger?"

Arnold flinched at that. He really didn't want to tell him what they did. He was gonna have to lie but he was such a noob at it he wasn't sure where to start so instead what came out of his mouth was: "Uhhh... yes?"

Gerald looked at him funny after that. He didn't know _what_ that answer was. Then he thought of what that could've meant. "Arnold... are you lying to me? You know you suck at that. You're trying to keep something about that a secret-" then a possible outcome of what could happen in that situation came into his head. "Wait! Don't tell me you guys did what I _think_ you did!" he now had a look of shock on his face.

"Look, it doesn't matter okay? It meant nothing. We were just feeding ourselves." he said with a blush on his face not looking at him.

"So you did?!"

Arnold then realized he should've said nothing and just kept him guessing instead. He mentally smacked himself.

Gerald tried to contain himself from laughter, took a deep breath and tried the friend route on this knowledge best he could. He crossed his arms once again but in an accusing way this time because he was also starting to get worried about this. "Okay, I'm not going to rip on you because I'm your friend but I'm just gonna say that I'm starting to think there's something going on between you two. Just because she had an attitude adjustment because of the memory loss doesn't mean she's gonna stay like that forever. Once she gets her memory back she isn't going to think twice about shooting another spitball at the back of your neck."

Arnold couldn't listen to this anymore. He knew that. He had been thinking about this ever since he was in the nurse's office. The thought of losing this new Helga had bugged him and he _still_ wasn't sure why. He knew he shouldn't wish for someone to act like someone different but he couldn't help it. It made him feel awful about himself. "I know that! You don't have to remind me, okay? And there's nothing going on between Helga and I." He started to walk towards Helga. Now deciding to just ignore Gerald and keep moving.

"Oh come on, Arnold! Don't be mad!" Gerald called after him. When Arnold didn't react he sighed and turned to head home. If he knew Arnold he knew that he'd be over this little fight tomorrow. Well, he _hoped_ that was the case. He did seem very upset this time but he didn't get why something about Helga could get him upset and she hadn't even giving him a hard time today. Was it something _he_ said? He was just trying to help.

Arnold kept walking trying not to think about what Gerald had said. He saw Helga as he was about to turn the corner. "Helga, are you ready to-" When he finally got to Helga he saw her holding hands with Brainy which irked him for some reason. What was wrong with him? "Uh... hi Brainy." He greeted in a voice that sounded annoyed but he didn't mean for it to sound that way.

* * *

"Helga!" Arnold raised his voice to get her to turn around. She did. "Go wait where I asked you to wait for me yesterday. I'll meet you there when I'm done here, okay?" He finished with a smile.

Helga smiled back and nodded then walked to the place Arnold asked her to wait. Once she got there she could still hear their conversion just like yesterday. She wasn't sure if she should ease drop again. What she heard the first time had made her feel guilty. What if they were talking about her again and she was gonna feel bad again. She tried to resist for a few seconds but she just couldn't help it. She listened in.

She heard Gerald speak first. "Listen to yourself. You just used the word ' _help_ ' and ' _Helga_ ' in the same sentence. Helga doesn't _help_ people. I know she's not herself right now but it's still weird. I know that you say she's your responsibility and all but lately it's like your life revolves around her or something. If I didn't know any better I'd guess that it's probably _Helga's_ fault you got hurt in the first place. Am I right?"

"Well... not exactly..." Arnold replied.

"So I _am_ right? What happened?"

"Well, this morning I saw her walking to school alone, trying to cross the street, which I knew from the get go that _that_ wasn't gonna end well. She was about to be road kill by some jerk who must've been blind!" She saw him slam shut his locker at that. "I tried yelling to her to move out of the way but she wouldn't budge so I had to use myself to get her out of the way. I must've not made such a great landing because when we stood up she noticed that my knee was bleeding. When it was pointed out it did hurt. It was hard to walk to school after that."

Just remembering that that happened and that she was partly responsible for that made her feel bad once again.

"So you saved her life?" said Gerald.

"Well why wouldn't I? Are you actually implying she's not worth it or something?! Jeez, it's just a cut. It's not like I broke my legs or anything. Though even it that were the case I'd still do it!" Arnold yelled.

Knowing that made Helga's heart flutter. She grasped her locket though her shirt.

She saw Gerald hold up his hands in front of him in defense. "Whoa! Whoa! I didn't mean it like that. Helga is a harsh person but I don't think she deserves to die. All I meant by that was that's a pretty big deal." he leaned against the lockers. "Too bad she won't remember you doing that when she get's her memory back, huh? You could've held that over her forever." he chuckled.

That last thing he said made her frown.

She then heard Arnold chuckle though it didn't sound genuine... or at least she hoped it wasn't genuine. Then he said "Ha ha, yeah... too bad."

She stopped listening after that. She couldn't handle hearing about how much of an awful person that other version of her was. She had a feeling Gerald was still taking about her that way but she wouldn't dare continue listening. She pulled out her locket and looked at Arnold's picture. She still wasn't sure why she had this but she wasn't complaining. Every time she looked at his picture it made her feel better.

"Oh, Arnold. How is it that whenever I look at you things seem better... and yet... I feel a hole in my heart. It's as if it's been pierced by a dart. It's as if that dart has been thrown at it multiple times! Why is it when I think about you I spout out all these rhymes!" She had found herself doing that a lot at home. They weren't good rhymes like in the pink book that that other version of her written in it but it was _something_. She found it hard to believe that she wrote all those pages. Her only explanation for that was that she must've been rusty and didn't remember how to make good rhymes.

Suddenly she heard heavy breathing behind her. By some random reflex she punched whatever it was behind her without looking. 'Wham!' she heard her powerful hit and snapped out it. She turned to see where the heavy breathing came from. There on the floor in a daze was a boy with glasses and spiky hair.

Helga gasped. "Oh, no!" she went down on her knees next to him holding the top half of his body upwards. "I'm sorry! I have no idea why I did that! Are you okay?!"

After hearing her apology he shook his head back and forth as if he didn't think he heard her right. He knew Helga lost her memory but she never apologized to him before. It was new. "Uh... I donno." he said after a few wheezes from him.

Helga was a bit weirded out by him after hearing him but decided to bypass it out of politeness. "Let me up you up." she got up and helped him. However when he was up Brainy didn't let go of her hand. Helga noticed this, froze and awkwardly laughed.

"Helga, are you ready to-" Arnold came towards them but stopped mid-sentence and noticed them still holding hands. "Uh... hi Brainy."

For some reason she didn't want Arnold to see her holding hands with this Brainy kid. She instantly whipped her hand out of his own. His grip on his hand wasn't tight at all but he still hadn't let go after she helped him up which she thought was weird and it had made her freeze before Arnold showed up and snapped her out of it..

"Uh... hey." He said awkwardly now holding the hand he had held hers with up in greeting to Arnold.

"Yeeeahhh." Arnold said awkwardly. He turned to Helga. "So, ready to head to your place?"

She brightened up. "Yeah!"

"Okay, great." He said with a smile. He turned back to Brainy and tried to be his friendly self towards him. He didn't know why he was annoyed at him. "Well, nice talking with you, Brainy." Then he took Helga's hand and they went on their way.

* * *

 **(A/N) I had to add Brainy in there. I love that guy. As you can probably tell I don't write poetry that's why I made up a bull excuse as to why Helga didn't do her poetry monologue beautifully like she always does when she's "alone". I think it's a pretty good excuse. I tried to keep the argument in character but I might've failed. Sorry about that. Also I know that it might've been a bit of a stretch on how Gerald kind of figured out what happened with the milkshake incident that quickly but oh well. Hope that didn't bother _you_. **

**REVIEWS ARE MY FUEL TO KEEP GOING!**


	10. What About The Good Things?

**(A/N) Sorry for the long wait but it's here now. Enjoy!**

* * *

As Arnold and Helga started on their way towards Helga's house, once they left the school building, they were still holding hands. Helga certainly didn't mind it while Arnold didn't even realized he hadn't let go. He was still thinking about why Brainy and Helga were holding hands before. The thought was festering in his mind that he had to ask.

He looked over to Helga, finally realizing he hadn't let go of her hand and so he did quickly. He still didn't want to give her the wrong idea, though he was wondering to himself if the "wrong idea" still existed. He was still confused about how he was feeling. "Uh, Helga? How did you and Brainy run into each other?"

Helga thought nothing of the question and just simply answered. "Oh, well, while you and Gerald were talking he kind of came up behind me and scared me. I mean, I don't think he was trying to scare me on purpose but it surprised me that's for sure."

Arnold wasn't sure he should ask his next question but he _really_ wanted to know. "Why were you guys holding hands when I came back if he scared you?"

Now Helga had wondered why he asked that question. Why did he care? She contemplated rather she should tell him. The hand holding had been under violent circumstances she really didn't intend to hit Brainy. She knew that the real Helga was a violent and mean person and she didn't want to scare off Arnold. Though he already knew the real Helga wasn't very nice. She sighed and then gave in. She had faith he wouldn't run away. "Well, as I said before, he must've startled me because as soon as he came up behind me it was almost as if my fist hand had a mind of it's own. I hit him without even looking at who it was. I could've very well have hit _anyone_." Helga looked down in shame.

Arnold wasn't sure if he should say the next thing he said. He wasn't sure if it would bother her considering her reaction towards her violence but it was just a speculation. "That might have been some sort of reflex on your part. You know, of your real self with your memories?"

Helga had been afraid of that but she had a bit of a feeling that could've been the reason it happened. "I was a bit afraid you were gonna say that but it's probably true." she shrugged as she sadly agreed.

Arnold saw her dismay with his speculation and started to wish he hadn't suggested it. Though that still didn't answer his question so he subtlety pressed her on to continue with her story hoping that the next thing she said would give him an answer. "Sooo... what happened after that?"

"Well, after I... hit him. He hit the floor. He didn't seem too badly hurt even though I had punched him. It really didn't seem to phase him that much. Almost as if he was used to it or something. It was weird..." Helga paused for a few seconds and then continued. "Anyway, I helped him up but once he was up he didn't let go of my hand. Then you showed up."

"I see." Arnold let out a breath he didn't know he was holding after hearing the clarification. Why did it bother him at all?

* * *

They finally reached Helga's house. Once inside they were greeted by Miriam's snoring. Helga sighed in annoyance. 'Has it _always_ been like this?' she asked herself. She was starting to think so. It _had_ been like this everyday so far since losing her memory.

Arnold didn't know what to think of the situation when they saw her sleeping with an empty glass in hand. He could tell Helga wasn't happy about it when he saw her make her signature scowl at the display. Something that he hadn't seen in a few days. He wondered why her scowl made him smile right then. Did he actually miss it or something? If so something was _definitely_ wrong with him.

Helga growled in anger. "Criminy... Come on, Arnold. Let's go to my room where there's peace and quiet." She grabbed his hand and pulled him upstairs with her.

As soon as they reached her room, Helga, not meaning to and out of frustration, chucked Arnold into her room by his hand that she was holding. He didn't hit the floor or anything but it was pretty forceful. Then Helga slammed the door. Arnold watch her as she haven't turned around at all. She stayed silent, looking down at the floor.

"Uh... Are you okay?" Arnold asked.

She sighed. "Yeah... It's just... I wonder if she even cares if I made it home or not..."

Arnold didn't hear her say that last part because she said it in a whisper. He wanted her to repeat it. "Uh... what was that last thing you said?"

She finally turned around. "Never mind. Forget it. Let's just focus on homework.

Arnold hesitated for a moment then decided that she'd talk about it when she wanted. Though not knowing bothered him. "Well... okay then.

* * *

It had been three hours of Arnold helping Helga with her homework. It wasn't boring for Helga at all since she was learning a lot and Arnold was helping her. Not that having Phoebe help out was bad or anything last night. She did have fun getting reacquainted with her again. She could see why they were best friends. She had been _extremely_ helpful. It's just that ever since she told Arnold to hangout with Gerald last night, Helga had been wondering what it would be like to have him help her with her knowing how to read _and_ holding a book the right way. _Now_ she knew and she _loved_ it.

Arnold looked up at the clock when they finally finished. The clock read: 7:30.

Helga saw him read it. She was a bit disappointed that they were done. Arnold could leave now if he wanted and he probably wanted to. She put on a smile though and spoke up. "Well, looks like we're done. It's not to late to go hangout with Gerald if you want." she suggested awkwardly.

Arnold didn't sense the awkwardness in her voice. He thought about going to hangout with him but then found himself not wanting to considering how they left things in their last conversation. Gerald also was ticking him off so he didn't feel like facing him. At least not at the moment. He figured that he would probably be the one to apologize first. Arnold knew that Gerald did bring up good points. Helga _would_ go back to her old ways no matter how much he didn't want to believe it. He knew Gerald meant well but he didn't feel like facing him for the rest of the day.

Helga noticed his hesitancy to take her suggestion. She had seen part of how his conversion with his friend went down and figured that maybe things were bad between them now because Arnold seemed already agitated though out what she saw. That conversation might've ended badly. Why else would he have to think about it? "Did you and Gerald have a fight?" she asked.

"Well... kind of. He said some things that I really need to think about. I think I'm just gonna head home." He took a piece of paper and a pen and started writing a number on it. "It's the weekend tomorrow so we don't have school. If you need me you can call me and I'll come right over, okay?" he gave her the piece of paper and started to leave.

Helga quickly glanced at the paper then back at Arnold. She didn't want him to leave so soon. She needed to know something. "Arnold, wait!" She grabbed his hand to stop him. He turned to look at her with wide eyes at the sudden movement. Helga continued, still holding his hand. "I've been wondering about something ever since we spoke last night when you were walking me home..."

"What is it, Helga?" He asked trying to read her.

She pulled him over to her bed and they both sat down. "Last night you said I've done things for you in the past, right?"

"Uh... yeah? Why?"

"I need to know what those things are. I need to know all the stuff I've done for you because lately the only things I know about her is that she's a person who does terrible things to people who don't deserve it..." She tightly grasped Arnold's hands in hers. She came close to his face which made him lean back a bit. "Like you... I only know the bad... please tell me the good." she had a desperate look on her face. A face on her that he had never seen before. It broke his heart.

Arnold gently pushed Helga away to a comfortable distance. "Okay, okay. Calm down." He tried to think back. "Okay... Let's see... Well there was the time you tried to help save the tree, Mighty Pete, from being cut down by your dad."

"My dad did that?" Helga crossed her arms "That doesn't sound surprising." she mumbled. "Why did I help you though? Sorry, having a hard time why someone like _her_ would help out."

He looked at her funny once she said that. "There you go again talking about you as if it's another person. Why do you do that?"

"Just answer the question, Arnold!"

"Okay! ...Well when I asked why you were gonna help you said it was because your dad had been bugging you and you wanted to get even or something."

Helga groaned. "Oh, you're telling me I only did it to get revenge and not just to help you? That's not good enough. There must be something else I've done!"

Arnold thought about it then another time came to him. "There was the time you asked your dad for money to help pay for a float I wanted to design after you found out we didn't have enough money to do so."

Helga smiled at that "That sounds nice."

"Yeah. You said you'd help pay for it under the condition that you'd get to be on top on the float." He continued.

"Awww.. no! That's not good enough either because she made you make a deal with her. Are you telling me that there was never a time that she did something nice for you because she just wanted to help?" Helga put her face in her hands. "I'm a terrible person..." she mumbled into her hands.

Arnold sighed "You're not a terrible person, Helga." He put a hand on her shoulder but she didn't move her face away from her hands. Suddenly a perfect one to mention came to his mind. "There was an instance were I truly believe you helped me without a reason other than to just help me."

Helga slightly turned her head out of her cupped hands. "...What was _that_ one?"

"Well it was in the summer. My family and I were staying at the same beach house you as you and _your_ family. Quite a coincidence, huh?" he smiled at her.

Helga finally had her head away from her hands. She wiped away a tear from her eye that was threatening to fall. She nodded in agreement.

Arnold went on. "Well, I ran into this girl named Summer... another coincidence, am I right?" They laughed at that together. "Haha... anyway, the whole time I thought she _liked me_ liked me. You told me that she was just using me to win a sandcastle building contest to be on a show. At first I didn't believe you... I thought you were just messing with me but later on I found out... you were right. You showed me the truth by letting me witness her lying to me. It was then that I realized that you were making it so Summer didn't take advantage of me. You were trying to be my friend."

Helga sat up straight with pride at that. "So I helped you because I just wanted to? There wasn't any motive for self-gain behind it?"

Arnold showed his half-lidded smile. "Nope."

She sighed with relief. "Well... that makes me feel a bit better."

"That's good."

"Though... that is just _one thing._ You sure you can't think of another time?" She asked with hope in her eyes that kind of made her look kind of cute to him but he quickly push that thought aside and tried to think of one more.

Then it finally came to him. Though he didn't like thinking about this one because he was really hurt at the time but it was sort of a good one to bring up. "Well... Did you see that girl in our class with red braids?" he asked.

She tried to think back and sort of remembered seeing a girl like that in the class. "I think so."

"Well... her name is Lila. She _like me_ liked me for a little while but I pushed her away because _I_ didn't like her that way. But when I had time to think about how I felt towards her it was too late. I had hurt her enough for her to completely friend-zone me. I really messed up." he sighed. Just remembering it all hurt to think about.

Helga put her hand on his. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yeah... well you won't be sorry to hear this next part though. After Lila told me she just liked me as a friend I was left alone. But then, suddenly, I saw you fall from a tree like right next to where I was sitting. It's kind of funny now that I think back on it."

"I fell from a tree? What was I doing there?"

"I think you said it was for exercise or something. I donno. Anyway, you helped comfort me a little. Telling me I'd bounce back. Telling me that there's plenty of fish in the sea."

"I'm glad I was able to make you feel better." There was a tiny bit of silence between them. Then Helga spoke again. "Sooo... do you believe that there is plenty of fish in the sea like I said?" she asked him as she subconsciously stoked the top of his hand with her thumb.

That gesture finally made him notice that she was holding his hand. He didn't notice that she was holding it before because he was so in tune with remembering his first heartbreak. He looked back up at her, looking into her blue eyes once again. He remembered looking into them earlier and thinking about how mesmerizing they were. They _still_ were. "Yeah... I think there is..."

They slowly brought their faces closer to each other's but then Gerald's words suddenly came into Arnold's head. ' _Once she gets her memory back she isn't going to think twice about shooting another spitball at the back of your neck._ ' The words made him suddenly pull back and quickly get off the bed. "Uhhh... Well, ya feel better?" he asked, looking away from her while rubbing the back of his head.

Helga was disappointed he pulled away. "Uhh.. yeah I think so." she tried to smile best she could.

"That's good... Well, I think I'm gonna go home know. It's 8:00 now and I have a curfew." Arnold was glad that was a good enough reason to leave. "So you have my number. You can call me if you need help with anything tomorrow. But, hey, maybe you won't need it. You might get your memory back tomorrow." He gave a fake chuckle. Arnold was starting to debate with himself rather he liked the idea of her getting her memories back, which made him feel awful. He should've been wanting her memories to come back.

Helga also gave a fake chuckle. "Yeah, maybe..." She was also having a debate with herself but not about the same thing. Arnold pulling away from her had made her upset. She really thought that they were going to kiss, but she understood why he did it. She'd probably be back to normal any day now. She wasn't sure if she supported that he was shielding himself from possibly another heartbreak. That is if he liked her back at all which she was starting to believe he might or she hoped he did. She knew the consequences of them getting together. She knew it wasn't smart but she couldn't help how she felt.

"I guess I'll just let myself out then?" Arnold suggested.

Helga nodded, not looking at him.

"Okay then..." But before he left he quickly wrote down his address and wrote that it was just around the corner. Then he finally left the room to leave for home.

* * *

Arnold was now walking down the steps of Helga's house, thinking about what Helga and himself were about to do before Gerald's words snapped him out of it. Part of him wished that his words didn't cross his mind.

"Darn you, Gerald." he said quietly out loud with a smirk on his face. Arnold looked up at Helga's bedroom window and had a sad smile for a few seconds. Then he put his hands in his pockets as he continued on his way home. He wasn't really sure why he had written down his address on the paper. Did he want her to come over if she needed him? She didn't have to. She could just call him. Maybe he just wanted her to learn how to find places on her own or something. He decided that was the reason why he did it.

* * *

Helga was still in the same position she was in when Arnold left. She then lied down on her bed then turned her head and saw the paper that had Arnold's number on it. She got up and walked to her desk and picked the paper up. She saw the number and then something else written under it.

 _'My house address is 4040 Vine Street. It's a boarding house called 'Sunset Arms'. It's just around he corner to your left.'_

Helga wondered why he gave her his address. Did he want her to come over sometime or did he just want to test her independence. She hoped it wasn't the latter.

She sighed. "I'm such a basket-case." She looked up at the clock. 8:20 it read. She knew that you could stay up later on Fridays because of the weekend but she just wanted to end the day now. She wasn't feeling the best.

She put on her PJs, brushed her teeth and then settled into her bed. Then she saw her pink book on the desk beside her. She decided to read another poem before she went to bed. After hearing all of the good things that the real Helga did made it a little easier to believe she wrote the poems she liked. She opened the book and read the next one after the one she left off on the night before.

 _Each morn, I see you bend to drink,_  
 _From love's own crystal pool._  
 _I tremble near you, try to think._  
 _Will I forever say, "You stink"?_  
 _Am I bound by this tragic rule?_

"Hmm. A lot of these poems seem to have a certain feel to them. Almost as if the real Helga writes from the heart. Not from the imagination." Until now Helga just believed the old Helga wrote these for fun and not while thinking of anyone in particular. She wanted to read on to find out if she was right. If she could find a name of someone but she did like to have a poem waiting for her at the end of everyday. Then again just thinking about this and her having this feeling that the Helga with memories could actually feel something other than hate towards someone. She just had to know. "Oh, screw it!" she said out loud to herself and turned the page. It read:

 _H is for the head I'd like to punt._  
 _E is for every time I see the little runt._  
 _L is longing for our firstest kiss._  
 _G is for how good that longing is._  
 _A is for Arnold. Doi!_

After reading that she set the book down and stared at nothing, shocked that she was right. The real Helga _did_ love someone... and not just anyone. She loved _Arnold_.

* * *

 **(A/N) Phew, that was a long one. Probably my longest one yet. 3,672 words! Did you like it? Did you like the idea of me bringing up past episodes? It really helps that _Beaned_ is a season five episode and that a lot of the episodes where Arnold knows about times she's helped him out are from episodes before this one. **

**Now you may be thinking that "Helga destroyed that last poem!" Yeah, well, Helga can rewrite stuff it she wanted to. Also does it really matter? Just go with it.**

 **Remember... REVIEWS ARE MY FUEL TO KEEP GOING!**


	11. Coward

**(A/N) I'm so sorry this chapter took longer to post than the others. I just had a lot of real life things that got in the way along with trying to keep updated with my DeviantART and YouTube channel. But it's here now. Enjoy!**

* * *

Helga still sat there, staring at nothing, still shocked at this discovery. Helga dashed out of bed, ran towards her closet and opened it. She now was staring at the giant watermelon that had the six bananas in it. Now that she was looking at it again, knowing what she knew right then and there, it all made sense now. It was supposed to resemble Arnold!

She gasped as sudden flashes of her past shrines came back to Helga _visually_ , so fast that she had to hold on to the wall to stop herself from falling. She remembered praying to them, sitting on the floor staring at them while turning on and off the light and writing her poems in front of them.

When the flashes stopped, Helga took a breath. "Oh my god... I'm a crazy person..." she said quietly to herself. How was she ever going to get to sleep now? Simple, she wouldn't. She'd never be able to after knowing all this. It all made sense now. The signs were all there. The mushy poems, the shrine, the feelings she'd get when she was around him. Though the one thing she didn't understand was if she was so infatuated with Arnold why did she treat him so harshly? As if he meant nothing to her, because _clearly_ he did. As she was thinking all this, Helga had to wonder. If Helga didn't act so mean to him... would Arnold and her actually have a chance of being together? Would he ever feel the same?

Helga slowly walked towards her bed looking at her feet. When her knees hit the edge of the bed it made her top half of her body fall face first on the bed. She just laid there, face down and a bit of on the verge of suffocating. Helga was, only for a split second, contemplating rather or not she should turn over to catch her breath. Did she really want to face everything now that she knew her actual self's secret? Everything was even more complicated now. It only took seconds later for her to give into temptation for air to be in her lungs.

"I'm such a basket case..." she said as she put her hands to cover her eyes. Now on some level, she wished for her memories to come back so she wouldn't think about this anymore. The actual Helga seemed pretty content with how she lived her life if she lasted _this_ long with loving Arnold and antagonizing him at the same time, not caring about his feelings. It just didn't make sense. It was right then that Helga finally decided that she _would_ go to Arnold's house and confront him about what she knew. She _had_ to. Who knows? She _could_ possibly be doing the actual Helga a favour, right? Saving her the trouble, right? She just wasn't sure how Arnold would react.

* * *

Finally Saturday afternoon came. Afternoon because, as Helga predicted, she ended up oversleeping. She was just glad that it was the weekend and that she didn't have school to worry about. First thing on Helga's mind as she woke up was going to Arnold's house and telling him about her discovery. She quickly got dressed and went out the door without a word. Helga figured that her parents would probably not even realized she left.

If she wasn't so preoccupied, thinking about her discovery she would've noticed that she forgot to bring the directions and was absentmindedly going the right direction towards Arnold's house. It wasn't until she was finally there that she realized that she had forgot to bring it with her. She had to wonder why it was so easy finding it. Though when she thought about it, now that she knew the actual Helga was obsessed with Arnold it didn't surprise her anymore. She'd probably been here many times in the past.

She walked towards the door and then knocked. Luckily, Arnold was the one to open the door. Unluckily, when the door opened a bunch of animals came out down the stoop steps all at once. The commotion was enough to push Helga down the door steps, but before that could happen, Arnold caught her hand, saving her from a painful fall.

Arnold started "Helga? You came already? I didn't expect you to come so soon." he then realized what he said "Uh, I mean, not that I was expecting you at all or anything. NOT THAT I _DIDN'T_ _WANT_ YOU TO COME." He blushed after he said that. "I mean... aw, man." He facepalmed. "I'm not offending you or anything... am I?"

Helga giggled a bit. She could tell that he was nervous around her now after what almost happened between them last night. If she was honest, she was also nervous deep down. However, she found nervous Arnold to be kind of cute.

"I'm not offended. Don't worry. I know it's kind of sudden but I needed to see you." Helga confessed.

"...you did?" Arnold found himself being hopeful for some reason after she said that.

Before Helga could say anything else Arnold's Grandpa Phil's voice could be heard inside. "Shortman, who's at the door?" Arnold didn't get a chance to reply back because then he appeared behind him and continued when he got a look at Helga. "Who's this?" he asked Arnold.

"It's Helga, grandpa. Don't you recognize her?"

Grandpa Phil then had a dumbfounded look on his face. "Huh... didn't recognize her without the unibrow on her face."

"Grandpa!" Arnold shouted at him.

"Well, she doesn't have it anymore. Why the big reaction?" Grandpa Phil looked down at Helga then back at Arnold. "Well aren't you gonna invite her in?" he asked him.

Arnold then realized he was being rude. She did tell him she needed to see him which he didn't get why that made him happy for some reason. "OH! Uh yeah." he opened the door wider for her to come in and Helga did so.

Once she was inside Arnold started. "So what did you need to see me about?"

"Well I-" Helga stopped mid-sentence when she remembered that Grandpa Phil was still in the area. She didn't feel comfortable saying what she wanted to say to Arnold with him in the area and somehow Arnold sensed this.

"Do you want to talk about whatever it is in my room?" he suggested.

Helga felt relieved and nodded. Arnold took her hand and pulled her upstairs with him. As they went up the stairs they could hear Grandpa Phil say "Be sure to leave the door open, kids!"

After hearing him say that they both had confused looks on their faces.

* * *

Once they were inside Arnold's room Helga closed the door behind her.

Arnold saw Helga close it behind her. "Uh, my grandpa said to keep it open. Don't know why though."

Helga had her back against the door and looked at Arnold with a serious yet scared look on her face. "I know but I'd really prefer to say this behind closed doors."

"Why?"

"I just need it closed right now, okay?!"

Arnold put his hands up in defense at her shouting. "Okay, okay... what do you want to say so bad?"

Helga took a deep breath and started. "Last night... I was looking through my things. You know, trying to boost my memory, and well after doing so I came to a realization that all this time... the real Helga is in lo-" Helga stopped her sentence due to catching a glimpse of something in Arnold's closet. Without thinking she sped walked past Arnold and towards his closet. The object that caught her attention was a red shoe that looked identical to the one in _her_ closet. She picked it up.

Arnold saw her pick it up and didn't want her to get the wrong idea. "Oh, uh, that's not mine! ...well I'd like to think it's mine in a way. I don't wear it if that's what you're thinking. It's more of a momento actually."

"A momento to what?" Helga asked wanting to know.

Arnold was hoping she wouldn't ask that. He didn't want her to think he was some two-timing jerk considering how the whole scenario started out, but seeing her face, how desperate it looked made him give in.

"Well... It was Valentine's Day and I got a letter from my pen pal in Paris, Cecile, saying to meet her at _Chez Paris._ There was one problem with her coming though. I had already asked Ruth, a girl from our school to go out with me anonymously."

"So then who did you go out with?" Helga asked.

Here was the hard part of the story he feared to tell. "Well... that's the thing. I had talked to Gerald about the whole situation and he said I should just go on both of the dates since both the restaurants were beside each other."

Helga raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms at this while still holding on to the shoe with one hand. "So you went out with both of them? Why would you do that?"

"Hear me out!" he said quickly. "It seemed like a good idea at the time. And in all honesty I didn't really think Cecile would show up... But she did."

"Sooo then what did you do?"

"For a while I just went back and forth between the two buildings while Gerald was telling me when I should go back to each building. In hindsight I realize now I should've just gone on Cecile's date instead of Ruth's."

"Why's that?"

Arnold then leaned against the wall. "Well, it turned out that Ruth was never into me that much and neither was I. I mean, we had _nothing_ in common. She ran off with our busboy by the end of the date. I thought I liked her but going back and forth on the dates I realized that being with Cecile was well... more fun and she actually listened. It was the more interesting date that's for sure."

"How so?" Helga asked intrigued.

"By the end of the date Cecile turned out not actually being Cecile."

"Huh?"

"Yeah. The _real_ Cecile showed up which was shocking. I didn't know what else to do so Gerald took off with her pretending to be me."

Helga had a half grin on her face at that. "There seems to be a lot of people pretending to be somebody they're not in this story."

"Yeah, I know. Anyway, after Gerald left with Cecile I _did_ ask Not Cecile who she was... She told me she just couldn't tell me. I asked her why not and she said 'I just can't'. I never found out who she was but I admitted to her that it was the best Valentine's Day I ever had. She left behind one of her shoes and that is why that shoe is a momento to that night." Arnold finished, pointing to the shoe still in Helga's hand.

Looking down at the shoe, after hearing the end of the story, Helga put the pieces together. She looked back at Arnold. "Wait, what? She said that? Arnold I have... something to tell you."

Arnold stopped leaning on the wall "What is it, Helga?" his full attention on her.

"I remembered something the other day. What happened in it was-" she suddenly stopped herself from telling him her memory. It felt as if something inside her wouldn't let her. "Was- was-" It was as if something inside her was holding her back from telling Arnold the memory. Was it the actual Helga? If she couldn't tell him how did she expect to tell him that the actual Helga was in love with him. She wanted so desperately to tell him everything she found out and pieced together but she couldn't bring herself to so instead she lied. "...Was me punching someone in the face." She went with that because she figured that that probably _did_ happen once or twice considering the kind of person she knew she was.

"Oh..." Arnold said a little bummed out. He in all honesty had been expecting something different or at least a memory that mattered. "Honestly, Helga, that's really not that all surprising... Sorry."

"Ugh, I know and I hate how that's so predictable, how it's just how she's pegged!" Helga gripped her hair in anger.

"There you go again, speaking about yourself in third person. Can you please tell me why you keep doing that?"

"BECAUSE I HATE THAT VERSION OF ME, OKAY?! I HATE _HER_!" Helga yelled finally free from keeping that in.

Arnold said nothing. He was just shocked from her outburst.

So she continued. "Ever since I lost my memory you've been telling me harsh truths! About how I'm mean and am violent. Sure you've told me about the good things I've done but there was very few. With how very few there were they're not enough for me, Arnold!" She started to pace waving her arms around, ranting. "She's mean, nasty, insensitive, depressing and an angry person... and worst of all... she's a huge coward..."

"What? You're not a coward. I've seen you do a lot things that I'd probably be afraid to do."

"No, Arnold... by 'coward' that's not what I mean. I _apparently_ keep certain things about me from people who should know about them."

"What kind of things?"

"I CAN'T TELL YOU! ...I... I just can't. I really wish I could though. I actually came here to tell you something important but... It turns out something inside me is too scared to tell you." Helga started to tear up. "I don't want to be the person I was... I wanna stay as I am now... a clean slate. Sometimes I wish... I wish I could just permanently have memory loss and something tells me that you like me better this way too."

Arnold walked up to her and held both her hands in his. "Helga... That's not true. You can be nice. I've seen you be nice. Isn't that enough? Isn't it enough to know you're _capable_ of being nice?"

"No... It's not. Sure, I could just pretend that's enough and just wait to return to who I was. That's gonna happen anyway, right?"

"Well, though all those times that you were nice isn't enough for you, they're enough for me. What was it that you came here to tell me? You _can_ tell me."

Helga looked into his eyes after he said that. They were so kind and caring. "...No I can't because something is telling me that I'll get a bad reaction. I'm... I'm too afraid and I don't wanna be." she then started to cry.

This was a first for Arnold. He had never seen her cry before. He hugged her.

Helga at first Helga went stiff then after a second, melted into the hug and hugged him back.

"It's okay then... you can tell me whenever you're ready... I'll wait." Arnold whispered to her.

* * *

 **(A/N) Again, sorry for making you all wait so long for this chapter. I was seriously suffering from writers block along with all the other things that I listed in the author's note above. I'm sorry if this chapter seems weak and/or not as interesting as the others. I really tried, honest.**

 **Anyway, please give a review. I really does help motivate me despite how long I made you wait. Sorry for that again.**


	12. Confrontation

**(A/N) Wow, I am a terrible writer because I made you guys wait so long. You guys have probably forgotten about what happened in it. I hope I haven't lost any followers for this story! Let me try to the best of my ability to push this writers block away from me!**

* * *

After Arnold had calmed Helga down from her crying he had invited her to stay over for dinner and she accepted because she figured she probably wouldn't get dinner at home anyway.

When they came down from Arnold's room some noticed her face looked a little red. Helga did _look_ like she had been crying. Luckily no one asked her about it and she was thankful for that much.

She found it fun because she got to meet all these new people. Rather she had met them before or not she still found enjoyment out of it.

When dinner was over, it was starting to get dark out and Helga was getting tired from all that happened earlier. She decided to go home no matter how much she didn't want to.

* * *

Arnold saw her out the door but before she left, after thinking about something very quickly she turned back to Arnold.

"Tomorrow... do you think maybe we could go to _Chez Paris_ together for dinner?" Helga asked him.

"Uhhh..." Arnold stood there a bit surprised.

Helga mistook it for him just being nice and not sure how to say no. "I understand if you don't want to. I'm sure you have plans. Maybe I'm smothering you. In that case I'm sor-"

"NO! No... it isn't that." Arnold yelled out as he held his hand out to stop her from saying anymore nonsense. He stepped outside with her and closed the door behind him figuring this conversion might be better with them alone and he knew how nosey the people he lived with were. He continued "It's just..."

"Just what?" Helga asked.

"Are you... asking me out on a date, Helga?" He had to ask to be sure. He never thought in a million years that Helga would do anything of the sort but it had sounded like she asked him out.

Helga was taken a back, her eyes widened. She actually hadn't thought of her question that way. When she played back her question in her mind again she couldn't think of it as anything else. When she really thought about it she really wanted it to be a date. She just wasn't sure if the actual Helga would let her do such a thing since she had some sort of power over her in a way. She decided to give it a shot even if she had to force it out.

Helga took a deep breath and shouted it out since she thought that was the only way she would get it out. "Ye yE... MAYBE!" she mentally scolded herself. Really? 'Maybe' was the best she could muster? She decided to try again. "KINDA!" That was a little better.

Arnold once again just stood there in shock, his mouth slightly open.

Helga then realized how weird she must have sounded and looked. She composed herself. She shrugged at him.

Arnold decided to compose himself as well and cleared his throat. "Sorry, I don't know what to say? I'm just surprised." he finally said.

"So... do you want to?" She asked, voice filled with hope and worry, starting to feel tears ready to come out. She wasn't ready to be rejected. It already look up enough of her courage to say it was a date when she hadn't even intended it to be one in the _first_ place. If he said no she wasn't sure she'd recover until her memory came back and she'd forget that he ever rejected her.

Arnold had sensed the worry in her voice and figured he held his answer in long enough. "Yeah, sure."

She perked up at that. "Really?"

"Yeah. But I'm wondering, why _Chez Paris_?" He wasn't sure why she had suggested that place in particular after he had told her his story that took place there.

Helga's eyes widened again. She didn't want to tell him it was because she was starting to remember that night and wanted to see if seeing the restaurant would make her remember more of it. She lied instead. "Well... after hearing your story I really want to see how the place... looks like. I think your story was interesting and I... wanted to see if it would be better if I knew how the setting looked like." she really hoped he'd buy that.

Thankfully, he did. "O..kay..." well.. barely. He could somehow sense that there might've been more to it. "I'll pick you up at 6:00." he finished.

She smiled. "Great." She turned to leave but stopped herself, turned around and gave him a hug. This time he was the one to go stiff in an embrace. "Thanks for listening today." she whispered. Then she ran off home as Arnold just stood there, speechless and unsure how to feel.

* * *

When Helga got home of course no one greeted her but she could care less about that at the moment. She went straight to her room. Humming happily while doing so. She reached her room, closed the door and leaned on it as she sighed dreamily. She was so proud of herself. Proud that she did something that she knew the actual Helga didn't have the nerve to do. She felt like she needed to brag to someone. then that gave her an idea.

She quickly went into her closet looking for a certain piece of clothing she knew all too well. "Where is it? Where is it?" She shuffled through her clothes. "AHA!" she found it. Her pink dress actual Helga always wore. She quickly put it on. Then she ran over to her mirror and put up her hair in it's signature pigtails. "There!" the said to herself. She looked at her reflection then realized something. "Hmm... something's missing..." Then she knew what it was. She grabbed a black marker **(A/N not permanent. Don't worry. XD)** and drew a line on her face that connected her two eyebrows. You could still tell it was marker but it was good enough for her. She looked at her refection again. "There she is!" she said to herself with glee. "Now let the fun begin!"

She cleared her throat and started to gloat to her reflection as if it was another person. "I did something tonight that I just _know_ you would, no, _could_ never do! _I_ asked out Arnold! That's right. _Arnold_. The person we both hold dear. _AND_ I did it without hurting his feelings in any way shape or form! We are gonna have the best time and I'm going to Chez Paris with him without having to pretend I'm some french girl I know nothing about!" After saying that last part something inside her made her feel sad and... jealous? Was it the actual Helga's feelings inside her? She spoke to her reflection again but in a softer tone. "Why do you put yourself through this, Helga? Why haven't you told him how you feel yet? I don't see why you feel you have to act like you don't like-" Suddenly another memory flashed through her mind.

 _She saw a view of a younger Arnold and Gerald sitting with each other across from her. Then she saw a younger Harold beside her who had snagged her plate of crackers from her. She felt sadness of having them taken away from her, tears about to fall._

 _"Want mine?" she heard a voice say to her. She looked the person who spoke to her. It was younger Arnold holding out his plate of crackers. She accepted them as she nodded saying nothing. He waved at her as he walked away and she waved back while sighing lovingly. Then she heard laughter. Looking at where the laughter came from she saw the younger Harold mimicking her actions while the other kids laughed. She looked back at Arnold who looked confused._

 _She started to get embarrassed. She pushed Harold down "Quit laughing, geekbait, or you'll have to answer to Old Betsy and- and the Five Avengers!" she said as she showed him her fists._

Harold cowered on the floor in fear. "Old who and five what?"

"My fists, stupid!"

" _What?! Wait, wait, your fists have names?! Oh, you're confusing me!" he screamed in horror._

 _Then she jumped on Harold's stomach and he grunted. She stormed around the place, knocking down a block building that, who she recognized to be a younger Phoebe, was making._

 _Helga continued "I'm the boss around here, got it?"_

 _She saw all the other kids nod._

Helga's memory flash was over. She let out a gasp, finally in control of herself again.

After she processed what she just saw she spoke to the mirror again. "So _that's_ why? You... you're embarrassed of what other people think!? Seriously? YOU REALLY _ARE_ A COWARD!"

Then out of the blue, Bob walked in. "What's going on in here? You're making a lot of noise and I want you to sto-" he stopped mid-sentence. Seeing her with her obvious marker between her eyebrows. Thinking she had gone crazy and a bit freaked out by the sight he stood there in shock.

Helga let out a growl and shouted "BEAT IT!" she yelled while pointing at him.

He said nothing, quickly backed out of her room and shut the door.

A few seconds of silence went by. Then she turned to her reflection once again and sighed. "This isn't as much fun as I thought it was gonna be..."

* * *

 **(A/N) Alright, finally! Okay, time to explain my absence.** **I had terrible writers block because I just needed to get past this chapter and the next one to finally finish this because I know how I want this story to end. I just wasn't sure how to build up to the end. But now I have a bit of an idea how to now. Now, just know that I am busy the rest of June but I figured I owe you this chapter and I've made you wait long enough. I know this chapter is a bit short but I thought if I went further with this chapter what happens next might outshine the mirror scene.**

 **For those who stayed updated with this story and** **haven't abandoned it, thank you so much for staying.**

 **Reviews would be awesome. :)**


	13. The Date

**(A/N) Yes, I know, I did it again and made you guys wait so long for another chapter. My writer's block is real, people. But I haven't forgotten about this story because of you guys and because you like it so much and that warms my heart. So to the best of my ability I'll try my hardest to continue this without sucking. Let's jump in.**

* * *

It was Sunday night and Helga was at her mirror with the new outfit she and Phoebe bought earlier that day. Telling Phoebe on the phone what was to come this night was hard to tell her but she had to tell _someone_ about it and since she knew that Phoebe was supposed to be her best friend she thought it made sense enough. Saying that her and Arnold had "kind of a date" made Phoebe squeal with excitement which made Helga laugh a bit. But for Helga, every time she thought about the word "date" and the whole situation about what was about to happen this night, it all set her heart aflutter inside.

After hearing the news Phoebe insisted they go shopping for an outfit for this "special night" but they had to do it quickly before 6:00 so they did. They succeeded in finding an outfit and now with it being almost time Helga was now standing in front of a mirror wearing it. It was a long sleeve pink top that had a red collar and red tips at the sleeves. She also had on a skater lighter-pink skirt, fishnet tights (which Helga thought was a bit too far with the sexiness but Phoebe was dead set on her wearing them because she thought Helga looked great in them) and for the shoes she wore red stiletto heels, similar to the ones that she had found in both her closet and Arnold's, except they had a tiny buckle at the side and an extra strap. She wasn't sure on rather or not she should wear them. Rather or not it would hurt Arnold. The shoe that he had seemed to mean a great deal to him. Would it bother him that they looked similar. Would he think she was trying to re-create that night? _Was_ she trying to? She wasn't sure anymore. In the end of course she bought them. Maybe Arnold wouldn't notice. He _was_ a boy after all and she heard that boys weren't very perceptive when it came to tiny details like that anyway.

For her hairstyle she just had it down and wavy. ***(A/N) not covering one eye, mind you. There has to be some differences with the hair otherwise Arnold would catch on. Not that Helga remembers what she looked like and that she even wore her hair like that, just to be clear*** She also wore her pink bow.

Then the doorbell rung, breaking Helga from her thoughts. Her heart started to race, knowing who rung the doorbell. She then took a deep breath and turned towards the stairs.

"It's now or never." she said to herself.

* * *

For Arnold the whole date idea was also messing with him. So much that he barely got any sleep the night before. He just laid in his bed thinking about what would happen. When Helga asked him out it was off-putting and had confused him. He couldn't say no. She looked so scared but so was he. Arnold had no idea how he felt about Helga anymore. This new Helga was really nice, _great_ even. It made him feel guilty but he liked this new Helga. It made him wish that she were the real Helga but he knew he shouldn't wish for her to be anyone but herself. The Helga he knew since pre-school did have good qualities, he knew that much. He just wished that she was nicer more often.

He knew he couldn't tell Gerald about this. He'd only judge. He already had proven he would since he had judged other things he had done with Helga lately. Telling him would just add pressure. Arnold wasn't mad at him anymore though. He knew he meant well in what he said. Gerald was right.

Arnold was nervous as hell the whole day, yet here he was, at her doorstep. He mustered up his all his bravery and rang her doorbell.

The door opened and Arnold was stunned what what he saw. She looked beautiful. Almost unrecognizable and yet so familiar at the same time. But why?

Helga noticed him staring. He hadn't said a word to her. While blushing she decided to break the silence. "Hey, Arnold. Y-you look handsome." and he did. He was wearing a nice tux but to Helga he always looked handsome.

Her speaking snapped him out of it. He couldn't believe he was just staring at her like a fool. "Oh! Um, so do you!" he quickly said back without thinking.

She then raised an eyebrow at his reply.

Seeing her expression Arnold realized what he had just said. "I mean!" he face palmed. "Aw geez."

Helga giggled. "It's alright, Arnold. I know what you meant."

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, but... you look beautiful, Helga."

Helga blushed. "Thanks." she composed herself. "Well shall we go?"

"Uh, yeah." Arnold agreed then unknowingly proceeded to glance at her every few minutes. The way she looked was beautiful but puzzling to him.

* * *

Thankfully the walk wasn't long. On the way there conversation only really consisted of small talk and Helga catching Arnold staring at her constantly. She thought that was flattering at first but he did it long enough that she was starting to feel it wasn't just because she looked good. Like it was because of something else.

Arnold couldn't help it. On the way there he finally realized that the way she looked was not unlike Cecile. The shoes Helga was wearing was the hint. They looked so much like Cecile's. She didn't look exactly like her, the outfit was different but the similarities were uncanny that it was starting to freak him out. She no doubt looked beautiful but it was a crazy coincidence. He decided to put the whole issue out of his head. He didn't want to make the night even more awkward than he had already made it.

A waiter seated them on a table close to a window and Arnold started to get a sense of deja vu but again ignored it.

Once they were settled Helga glanced around the restaurant. It looked familiar to her. "This place is nice." she said.

"Yeah, it is." Arnold started to rub his arm and tried to look everywhere but her.

Helga noticed this. "Arnold, is something wrong?"

Arnold noted her tone of voice. It sounded so sweet, gentle and filled with genuine concern. Something he barely got from her. It was comforting and made him relax a bit. He put on a smile. "No, I'm fine. Just a little tired is all. I didn't get much sleep last night.

"Why is that?" she asked as she tilted her head a bit, which Arnold found kinda cute. He couldn't tell her why of course.

"That's not important. It happens." he hoped Helga would leave it at that.

Thankfully she did. "If you say so..." Helga looked down a bit disappointed.

"Hey, why don't we check out the menu." Arnold suggested, changing the subject.

Helga nodded. She opened the menu. It was written in french. ' _Great. It's bad enough I already have a hard time remembering how to read English. What do I choose?_ ' she thought to herself. She decided to just go with what name looked the most interesting.

The waiter then came to the with glasses of water. He took out his note pad. "Are we ready to order?" he asked them both.

Arnold started first. "Yeah, I'll have the Steak Tartare." He had chosen it before last time he was here so he thought, why not.

The waiter sniffed at his choice, at how basic of an order it was but wrote it down anyway. He turned to Helga. "And what would you like, mademoiselle?"

"Uhh, um, I think I'll have uh this one." She pointed to the name of it on the menu to the waiter, she felt embarrassed for doing so.

Arnold couldn't see what she was pointing to from where he was sitting.

"Excellent choice, mademoiselle." The waiter wrote down her order. "I'll be back with your orders." and with that he left.

Arnold was curious though. "So what did you order?"

Helga giggled awkwardly. "Well... to be honest, I have no idea. I don't remember how to pronounce french words."

"Well, that's alright."

"I guess..."

Arnold could tell she was embarrassed but said nothing. He didn't want to make things worse.

There was another silence between them. Helga couldn't take it anymore. She had to know how he felt about Cecile since she had a stinging feeling that she was Cecile from his story he told her. The dialogue exchange between them was the exact same as her memory. It couldn't be a coincidence. She didn't think it was a good idea to ask. He could find out the truth. She wanted him to know but at the same time didn't. But she just had to ask her question.

"About the story you told me last night, about Cecile and all. What was she like?"

Arnold was hoping she wouldn't bring up the whole Cecile thing. This whole date just kept reminding him of it and it was making him suspicious about something he haven't thought about before... but it couldn't be. "Well... she was a really good listener, as a said before. Like I could tell her anything. She was a little strange when I first saw her in person but she turned out to be totally cool at the end of the night. She wasn't what I was expecting at all but that's what made her interesting."

"Interesting, huh?" Helga smiled as she rested her chin on her hands as they were connected. "Well it seems that after all the most beautiful gift can come in the most plainest box."

His eyes widened at that "...What did you say?" Arnold couldn't believe his ears. He remembered Cecile saying the exact same thing to him that night.

Before Helga could repeat herself the waiter came back with their orders. The waiter placed Helga's order in front of her first. Seeing it Arnold instantly recognized it. It was the exact thing Cecile had ordered. He felt like hyperventilating now but he had to stop her from eating it.

"Helga wait don't eat that!" he blurted out

Helga and the waiter looked at Arnold filled with surprise.

"What's wrong?" Helga asked him. Her fork inches away from the food.

"Uh, it's just, uh..." Arnold couldn't bring himself to tell her why he freaked, especially with the waiter present. He remembered Cecile getting sick because of that order. That was a good enough reason for his freak out and it also wasn't a lie. He turned to the waiter. "Well, last time I was here the person I came here with had a bad reaction to it. I don't want to risk her having the same problem. You can never be too careful, right?" He laughed nervously.

Helga shrugged. "Alright then." she thought that that was probably a good idea anyway. When she saw the food she had a gut feeling she shouldn't eat it anyway.

Arnold continued. "How about her and I just share mine. Give us an extra plate. It's a big meal anyway."

The waiter grunted at this request but did so anyway.

Arnold had to get away fast before he freaked out even more at least for a second. This was all because to much for him. "Excuse me for a second. I'm just gonna go to the bathroom." Without giving her a chance to say anything he rushed to the bathroom.

* * *

Once Arnold was in the bathroom he rushed into a stall, closed it and then leaned against the door, finally letting himself breathe.

He didn't know what to make of any of this. All this deja vu was messing with him. Making him second guess himself and actually making him start to believe that Helga was Cecile. But she couldn't be. Could she? It didn't make any sense. It probably would make sense if the Helga he knew had the personality of the current Helga who was sweet, nice, and cool. But Cecile was before Helga lost her memory.

"I must be losing my mind. Over thinking things..." But no matter how many times he told himself this he still had a nagging feeling at the back of his mind. But one thing he knew for certain was that he couldn't let himself fall for Helga Pataki. Especially in the state she was in. He'd only be fooling himself. He was hoping these feelings would go away soon. "I better get back to her before she starts to worry. Knowing her now she probably is." He smiled at the thought. "Well it's now or never." Arnold then left the stall and bathroom.

The whole rest of the dinner Arnold tried his best not to talk about Cecile. Helga eventually caught on to him not wanting to talk about it so she stopped persisting about it.

* * *

Soon dinner was over. Arnold was walking Helga home. Arnold wasn't sure when it happened but they were holding hands the way there. It just happened. Helga had took a hold of his hand when he wasn't paying attention. It took him at least 10 seconds to notice she had done so but he didn't let go, not wanting to be rude but also he enjoyed holding hands with her. Her hand was so warm and soft. Two things he never would have associated with Helga a week ago.

Before they knew it they reached Helga's house. They were at the house steps. Neither one of them wanted to let go of each other. They looked into each other's eyes. Their faces started to get closer. They could feel the other's breath on them.

"Arnold..." Helga whispered softly as she came closer. She wanted to kiss him so bad. Arnold had to admit he wanted to kiss her too but he didn't want to get hurt. He slipped his hand out of hers. Helga looked disappointed. He sighed, filled with guilt. He then gently held her by her arms to get her to look him. She did. He studied her face before he spoke. The moon shun on her making her look perfect, just beautiful which made this harder for him.

"Helga, we should stop this. I shouldn't get involved with you. It's a bad idea." Arnold said quickly as if he was ripping off a band-aid.

"Why?" Asked Helga in a weak voice close to tears. "You don't like me?"

"I do like you, Helga, but you gotta understand that what we're doing is really irresponsible. You're not... _you_ right now."

"From where I'm standing you _clearly_ want this too. You feel something for me don't you!?" She yelled.

He turned away from her. "I don't know how to feel about you right now... I mostly feel confusion. Tonight has really messed with me to be honest."

"Well if you felt that way why did we even go through with it. I'm not stupid, Arnold. I knew you were uncomfortable this whole evening." Helga crossed her arms. "You're not good at hiding how you feel. What exactly did I do wrong tonight?"

"You didn't do anything wrong. You just... You're too similar to her and that confused me."

"To who?" Who was she kidding, she knew who he was talking about. "Cecile?"

"I know it doesn't make any sense because it happened so long ago. But the way you look tonight, what you said before dinner, your mannerisms."

Helga wanted so much to tell him that she had a feeling she was Cecile, she remembered the end of that night but the stubborn Helga inside her held her back from telling him. "I'm sorry, Arnold... I should've known that you only agreed to this out of kindness. It's just in your nature... It's your best and, right now,... your worst quality." Helga's voice broke at that last part of what she said.

That made Arnold turn back around to her. Oh no... He never meant to make her cry. "Helga, I wouldn't almost kiss someone out of kindness." He couldn't hold it in anymore. "I do feel something for you. The memory-loss you and that's messed up. I can't take advantage of a friend. Then I'm just selfish! I have to be real and the real you would never willingly get involved with me anyway."

Helga just stood there, looking at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I've really messed up any chance with you... haven't I? It's sad how you really don't know anything." and with that she ran into the house, heart broken.

Arnold stood there alone, cursing at himself for hurting her. "I'm sorry, Helga..."

* * *

 **(A/N) Sorry to end this chapter on a sad note but I feel that that is a good place to end it. For those who chose to stand by this story and not forget about it, I'm super thankful, you're the best. I will continue to update, I promise.**

 **I would love to get some reviews. It really does help me continue this. It lets me know that you guys are still reading and are still invested in the story.**


	14. Feelings Revealed

**(A/N) I'm really sorry for another long hiatus. I promised myself I wasn't going to do that again but then college happened and my free time got sucked away but now I have reading week and so now I don't have to worry about school work as much since I have so much free time now. Now this is gonna be the last chapter of the story and even though I had a lot of hiatuses throughout it I still enjoyed writing this story. That's why I never quit on this one. Because I had ideas for this and I'm damn well gonna finish this. So enjoy the last chapter of "Beaned: A What If Story", you all have been great followers.**

* * *

It was Monday morning and it haven't been a very good start for either Helga or Arnold. The night before kept both of them awake for almost the whole night. The emotional turn of the end of the date ate at both of them inside. Helga was heartbroken because Arnold didn't believe she actually for real loved him. Arnold felt guilty. He had grown to care for Helga in a way he didn't see coming but he felt it wasn't real no matter how much he wanted it to be.

Helga was disappointed that Arnold didn't walk her to school that morning, not that she was surprised he didn't though. Their fall out was enough to make her understand that he wouldn't but knowing that didn't make it hurt any less. Luckily she remembered the way to school from the last time he walked her.

* * *

They where now in class. Arnold avoided looking at Helga out of shame and guilt. This was worrying to Helga, making her wonder if what she said to him during their fight was too far and that's why she didn't receive a single glance from him. She wouldn't be able to stand him being mad at her. It was worrying her so much that all this drama was giving her a terrible headache. It was almost close to lunch time but Helga needed a chance to talk to him right now and apologize to him, alone, no matter how much she felt she was the victim in the situation. She'd rather give up her pride than to lose Arnold as a friend. All she could think of to do was one thing.

Helga started to moan and groan in pain as loud as what would gain attention from Mr. Simmons. It worked. Everyone looked over to her, including Arnold, his face showing obvious concern.

"Helga are you alright?" Mr. Simmons asked her, worry in his voice.

"Not really, I think I need to see the nurse. My head really hurts." Which wasn't necessarily a lie so Helga felt her excuse to leave was justified.

"Well alright. Are you able to go down by yourself?"

"I don't think so. I'm starting to feel dizzy." _That_ one was a lie. Her head was hurting from the stress but she could still see fine.

"Okay." he scanned around the room choosing who he should pick to take Helga.

Arnold was chanting in his head ' _Please don't pick me. Please don't pick me._ ' over and over in his head. He was worried about Helga but he wasn't sure he could face her after what happened between them. But luck wasn't in his favor.

"Arnold, you've been doing a good job so far in helping Helga out since the accident. Could you help her out and take her to the nurse?"

Arnold being Arnold couldn't find it in him to refuse. Sometimes he wished he could just say no to things like this but that wasn't in his nature and he'd probably come off as a jerk if he did say no, so he agreed anyway. "Okay..."

"Thank you, Arnold. Since it's close to lunch time I guess I'll see you two after lunch." Mr. Simmons said as he checked the time.

Arnold then got up from his desk, walked up to Helga and took her hand, which made him feel more guilty. Then they went on their way.

* * *

Once they were far away from their classroom that the others couldn't possibly see or hear them and they started their way to the stairs when Helga stopped walking, making Arnold stop as well in the process.

"What?" asked Arnold finally looking at her in the face since the night before.

"Arnold..." Helga took a deep breath and swallowed her pride. "...I'm sorry about what I said to you last night."

" _You're_ apologizing to _me_?"

Helga continued. "I can't stand you being mad at me. When I said 'you really don't know anything' I didn't mean it in the way you might be thinking. What I meant by it was-"

" _Mad at you_? I wasn't _mad_ at you." Arnold interrupted.

"You weren't? Then... why were you obviously trying to avoid me all morning?"

"Because I felt _guilty_ , alright?!" Arnold raised his voice but the simmered down immediately afterward. He continued. "I felt guilty because I can't give you the relationship you want from me. If I do that it isn't fair to both of us. You're not yourself." He turned away from her and looked downwards.

Helga, now looking at his back, shook her head. She wasn't about to have a repeat of their last conversation. She walked closer to him, putting a hand on his shoulder which made him tense.

"No, Arnold, that's the thing. I _am_ myself more than I ever have been in my life!" Helga said with more urgency.

Arnold sighed "Helga, how am I supposed to believe that? Ever since you got beaned, you've acted like a completely different person." He walked out of her touch.

"Why won't you listen to me?!" He was starting to frustrate her now which was making her panic and her head start to hurt more. She groaned once again in pain for real this time holding her head trying to ease the pain.

Arnold turned back to her coming to her aid despite the situation. "We better get you to the nurse's office now. Come on. He went on ahead towards the stairs, not too fast, hoping she would follow. He didn't want to hold her hand anymore and didn't look behind him to see if she was following. It was too painful for him. She could still stand after all.

Still at the bottom of the stairs, Helga spoke again, more firmly this time. "No, Arnold! I'm not finished! Don't use this to avoid listening to what I have to say!"

Arnold stopped walking again but he still had his back to her.

Even though he wasn't looking at her she took his silence as an opening to resume with what she had to say. "Arnold, when I said 'You really don't know anything' I meant there's something about _me_ you don't know. All this time, getting to know you... again... has made me realize feelings I didn't know she had in her. The Helga you know, I mean. Or... the Helga you _think_ you know."

At that last part Arnold only slightly turned his head but she still couldn't see his face. He still said nothing. At least she had his attention. She went on. "Look, I understand why you feel like you can't go there with me. I do. You're afraid when I get my memory back I won't feel the same way as I do now. I get it. But that's only half the truth of what will happen. I'll still want to be with you even if it seems like I don't. I bet that as soon as my memory comes back I'll go back to harassing you same as before. Heck, you probably won't want to go there with me when I get my memory back anyway... I don't deserve you _._ "

Arnold scoffed at that then finally proceeded to walk up the stairs, still at a speed she could catch up. He was done with all this.

She lost his attention. She needed it back quickly, so she said the words she never thought she'd be able to muster to him. "I just need you to know that no matter how I am towards you. No matter how harsh I treat you. I'll always been there for you because... because I love you."

As soon as she said those words, Arnold froze in middle of the steps and the lunch bell rang. Arnold, wide-eyed, turned to look down at her from the steps he was on as all the kids came out of the classroom to go to lunch.

Looking down at her, after hearing her say those words made her look even more beautiful to him. She was looking up back at him with love in her eyes. She really meant it. She made her way up the stairs to him. Arnold never taking his eyes off her.

When she got to him she put her hand on his which was on the railing of the stairs. Arnold glanced at their hands touching but then faced her as she spoke once again. "I don't want to lose you. Please believe me."

"You just said... you loved me." Arnold was still wide-eyed, still shocked by it. Still shocked by how she _said_ it. With so much weight to it. How sincere it sounded.

Helga looked straight into his green eyes, needing him to see how serious she was. "Yes, and I mean it. I'll always mean it. Even if I don't say it. _Never_ forget that."

"Helga... I..." Arnold's words left him as he let himself give into her, against his better judgement. They slowly leaned towards each other. Each other's eyes closing. For once Helga didn't care if other kids saw them like this. They finally touched lips. It was everything Helga imagined a real kiss with Arnold would be like and more. It was gentle, just like Arnold's kind-hearted soul. It felt like it was just her and him alone together. She slowly lifted one of her legs up just like a girl did in an old romance movie she saw.

It was the happiest Helga had ever been.

As they broke apart a kid coming down the stairs really fast bumped Helga's side which made her lose her balance, since she was still on one foot on the step that she was standing on on the stairs. Arnold was barely out for his daze from the kiss when he saw Helga wobbling to keep her balance. Once he snapped out of it he tried to save her but he wasn't fast enough. It wasn't a long fall but her landing _wasn't_ pleasant. She had hit her head hard on the floor once she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Helga!" Arnold yelled as he ran down to her limp unconscious body. He put his hand to her cheek, lightly tapping it. "Helga? Please wake up!" he heard concerned muttering from the other kids. They were shocked as quite a few witnessed the fall. Arnold wished they'd stop staring and actually do something. Then he heard a loud feminine gasp. Arnold looked up to see Phoebe and Gerald running towards them.

"Oh no! Helga!" Phoebe yelped in worry.

"What happened to her, man?!" asked Gerald.

"She fell down the stairs and hit her head!" He lifted her up he carried her up the stairs with help from Phoebe and Gerald so he didn't lose his balance from doing so.

* * *

The three finally made it with Helga still on Arnold's arms.

The nurse gasped as soon as she saw them in the doorway. "Oh my goodness! What happened?!" the nurse didn't let them answer yet since she saw they were too out of breath to say at the moment. "Hurry let's lay her down." She lifted Helga out of Arnold's arms to his relief and dismay.

The nurse laid her down on the closest bed on her back and put a blanket on her. The nurse then turned back to the three and asked her question again seeing that they were now a little bit more calm now. "Alright, what happened?"

"She fell down the stairs and hit her head." Phoebe responded.

Arnold was too busy looking at Helga in worry to muster up the explanation himself.

"Oh dear" she turned back to Helga to check if her head was bleeding anywhere. Luckily it wasn't. The nurse then put her hand near the bottom of her nose and sighed with relief that she felt she was still breathing. "Well other than the fact that she's unconscious I think it isn't too serious. Nothing seems to be broken. We won't know for sure until she wakes up.

"How long will that be?" Arnold finally spoke.

"It depends. Hopefully not for too long. I'll make a call her mother. Let her know what happened. You kids should go to lunch." With that the nurse left them to go to the phone.

With the mention of lunch Gerald's stomach started to rumble loudly. Gerald began to blush when Arnold and Phoebe stared at him.

"You guys go. I'm gonna stay." Arnold said taking a seat next to the bed Helga was in.

"You sure?" asked Gerald

"Yeah, I'm not hungry anyway."

But Phoebe knew better. "Come on, Gerald. We should give them some time alone." she whispered to Gerald as she pulled on his sleeve.

"Huh? Why?" he asked confused.

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Gosh you're dense. Thank goodness you're handsome."

"Whoa wait, what did you say?"

"Nothing..." she said in a sing-song voice.

After they left the nurse came back in the room.

"So I tried calling her mother but I got no response." the nurse told Arnold in dismay.

' _Her mom probably fell asleep again._ ' Arnold thought to himself. Then he spoke up. "I'll take her home when she wakes up."

"Aww, that's sweet of you."

Arnold said nothing and the nurse left it at that. She sensed the boy was too much in thought. She closed the curtain and left them to their privacy.

* * *

It had been a few hours since they got Helga to the nurse's office. Arnold decided to skip class which the nurse _did_ try to warn him that wasn't good for his education but he insisted. He was starting to get sleepy but fought the urge to do so. So every so often his eyes would be trying to close on him but he'd shake it off.

It was about to happen again until he heard movement from the bed. He instantly looked up and saw Helga slowly rise, rubbing the side of her head that she had hit. "Ugh, criminy... I feels like I just got hit by a truck." She said.

"Helga! You're finally awake!" in relief and without thinking he hugged her. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

This startled and confused Helga. "Arnold!" she blushed. Then she shook out of his hold on her and pushed him away. "Ugh, of course I'm okay, Football Head!"

That name caught him off guard. "Helga did you just call me, _Football Head_?" He asked, his voice a little shook.

That's right, _Arnoldo_. Now quit hovering over me." she said crossing her arms as she sat up.

He stepped back a bit. "Helga, do you remember what happened?"

"No actually... what _did_ happen? What am I doing here?" She looked down at herself seeing a dress she had never seen before. "What am I wearing? Am I missing something?"

Arnold didn't know what to say. It finally happened. Helga got her memory back and it was playing out exactly as he pictured. He was dreading this day ever since he started to feel something towards her and he felt bad for thinking so. He should be happy Helga got her memory back.

"Uhhh, that wasn't a rhetorical question, _Hair Boy_!"

Her yelling took him out of his thoughts. "Oh, sorry, Helga." He rubbed the back of his head and looked at the floor. "Umm... this is gonna be hard for you to believe but you got hit in the head with a baseball and have had amnesia for the past 6 days. You couldn't remember anything."

"Amnesia? Jeez. So if I got hit in the head by a baseball 6 days ago then why does my head still hurt like hell?"

"You hit your head again and I guess that's what it took to bring you back." he said still not looking at her.

Helga noticed this. "Hey, how come you aren't looking at me when you're talking to me? Something up?"

He quickly looked at her. "No, No. It's nothing. You should get home. I'll walk you, okay?" He went to take her hand to help her out of the bed.

At this she immediately pulled her hand out of his. "You don't have to do that, Arnold. I told you, I'm okay."

"I know I don't _have_ to, Helga. I _want_ to. I want to make sure you're okay."

Helga blushed again at this. "Oh... well thanks I guess."

"No problem." He took her hand again and helped her out.

They went to the nurse to let her know Helga was awake and back to normal. The nurse noticed that their hands were still in each other's which she thought was adorable. "You two take care." she said waving to them as they left.

The two turned a corner and Arnold still hadn't let go of Helga's hand. He was aware he hadn't let go yet. He wanted to test what his limits with her were and see how long she would let him do this.

Not very long in fact because as Arnold was thinking about this she jerked her hand out of his once again. "Who said you could touch me? I said you could walk me, pal. I didn't say you could get all weird and mushy!" She said looking down at him with her hands on her hips.

This outburst stun Arnold a bit _but_ he _was_ expecting it. "Sorry."

"You should be!" she retorted back and as she turned and did her infamous Helga walk Arnold hadn't seen in a while.

He sighed. He really wondered if what Helga said to him on the stairs was true. That she really _did_ love him. He decided not to harp on it any longer. He knew if he did it never leave his mind. It would take a while to get over this but he knew Helga cared and if she did love him then he'll know if she comes out and says it one day. If she says it at all. He wondered if that day would come.

As Arnold was thinking all this, in Helga's mind all she was thinking was ' _Arnold's walking me home and he held my hand to so long_!' then she mentally swooned.

The End

* * *

 **(A/N) Well, that's the end. I hope you all aren't too mad at me but give me a break she was gonna get her memory back sooner or later and as some of you know I wanted to make this story canon possible as much as I could.**

 **I just wanted to make something clear. When the kiss on the stairs happened the kids in Arnold and Helga's class didn't see it because they were far away from the classroom as a stated at the beginning of the third scene. That's why Phoebe and Gerald didn't show up until after the fall. I wanted you all to know that so that you can see it's canon possible and that is why the kids never mention it in the future.**

 **The whole time I was writing this I was debating on rather or not I should actually had them mutually kiss in the story. I was hesitant to because TJM's kiss was a mutual one and it was such a big thing to the fandom that since I wanted to make this canon possible I didn't want this kiss to over shadow that but then I got to thinking that I would never be able to overshadow that kiss because the kiss in TJM Arnold initiated first and he kissed her with her memory intact. So I thought my decision was just. Also I felt if I didn't have them kiss some of you would probably feel cheated since some of you wanted it so much. It was the least I could do for the followers of this story who have been here since it was published. Which just makes me so happy.**

 **When I published the first chapter I was surprised at how much positivity and views it received even though I was practically just re-writing the first few scenes in the episode. But you guys seem to have liked the P.O.V. thing I did with Helga in that chapter. When I wrote chapter 2 I got a bit discouraged because that chapter got only one review and I was questioning on if I could keep the story interesting on my own without just changing existing scenes a bit to fit into the story but once chapter 3 was up more reviews came up. Then chapter 7 happened and you guys went crazy. That one has the most reviews at the moment, it has 10. Let's see if this chapter gets more than that. I really hope so because I'm really curious on what you all think of the ending. If you liked it or if you hate me for it. XD**

 **Now I know that there are some fanfics that have chapters that have way more than 10 reviews but that's still a big deal to me. I'm just glad I finally got around to finishing this story.**

 **Also I'd like to give a shout out to one of the story's followers, starfiction123. I always love reading your reviews. They're always nice and long and they make me laugh and warm my heart. As for the rest of you, your reviews mean so much to me as well. So PLEASE let me know what you think.**

 **I love you all.**

* * *

 **All characters belong to Craig Bartlett. You're a genius, Craig and I do hope I did your characters justice. ;)**


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